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OMLINSON:      Young 
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THE  YOUNG  SHARPSHOOTER 
AT  ANTIETAM 


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THEY    WERE    FALLING    BY    SCORES 


1'age  :m 


THE  66  5        ^ 

YOUNG  SHARPSHOOTER 
AT  ANTIETAM 


BY 

EVERETT  T.  TOMLINSON 


rzmzmmn 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 

HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

($be  ftitoerji&e  pre^  <£ambri&0e 

1914 


MAY  10  1925 


COPYRIGHT,    I914,   BY  EVERETT  T.  TOMLINSON 
ALL   RIGHTS    RESERVED 

Published  September  IQ14 


PREFACE 

This  story  has  been  written  with  no  desire  to 
revive  or  even  to  keep  alive  the  spirit  o£  the 
struggle  between  the  States. 

Nevertheless  the  facts  which  have  made  our 
history  and  the  forces  which  have  entered  into 
the  making  of  the  life  of  our  country  ought 
not  to  be  ignored  or  forgotten.  The  effect  of 
the  conflict  was  too  great  for  that.  The  Civil 
War  is  now  far  enough  away  to  enable  us  to 
see  the  heroic,  dramatic,  and  even  romantic 
elements  that  composed  it;  and  all  these,  too, 
free  from  the  bitterness  which  naturally  was 
characteristic  of  the  times. 

To-day  each  side  understands  the  other 
better,  and  with  a  more  complete  knowledge 
is  able  to  see  more  clearly  the  sterling  qualities 
of  both  contestants. 

The  appreciation  of  the  importance  of  Lee's 
first  attempt  to  invade  the  North  is  necessary 
if  one  is  to  understand  the  struggle  which 
followed.  The  dash,  spirit,  and  skill  of  the 
great  Southern  leader,  as  well  as  the  energy 
and  the  daring  of  his  lieutenants,  are  seen 


vi  PREFACE 

to-day  more  clearly  than  in  the  times  when 
his  effort  was  made.  What  the  consequence 
would  have  been  if  General  Lee  had  succeeded, 
all  can  appreciate.  The  battle  of  Antietam 
was  almost  a  pivot  of  the  great  Civil  War. 

That  my  young  readers  may  gain  a  more 
complete  knowledge  of  the  daring  advance 
of  the  great  Southern  general  and  the  result 
which  followed  when  his  army  was  turned 
back  into  Virginia,  I  have  written  this  story. 
My  hope  is  that  it  will  lead  to  a  careful  study 
of  the  conflict,  and  that  boys,  North  and  South 
alike,  may  be  led  into  an  increased  knowledge 
of  and  interest  in  our  common  country. 

Everett  T.  Tomlinson. 

Elizabeth,  New  Jersey. 


CONTENTS 

I.  The  Irishman  and  his  Pig        ...      1 
II.  The  Sutler's  Goods        ....        13 

III.  Intercepted 27 

IV.  The  V  in  the  Fence   ....   38 
V.  The  Plan  of  General  Lee   .   .    .47 

VI.  Long  John 54 

VII.  Caught 63 

VIII.  Under  Guard 72 

IX.  The  Plot 83 

X.  Into  the  Storm 93 

XI.  Nick       . 102 

XII.  The  Giant 113 

XIII.  Friends  of  the  Union        ....  124 

XIV.  The  Sutler  as  a  Guide  ....      135 
XV.  Warlike  Bees 146 

XVI.  A  Helper 154 

XVII.  The  Guest  Room 166 

XVIII.  The  Fire 177 


viii  CONTENTS 

XIX.  At  the  Fork 188 

XX.  The  Stack  of  Straw  ....      198 

XXI.   The  Carpet-Bag 207 

XXII.  A  Mystery 217 

XXIII.  The  Guard-House 227 

XXIV.  A  Fruitless  Interview        .        .        .      236 
XXV.  The  Execution 248 

XXVI.   The  Test 260 

XXVII.  The  Sharpshooters 270 

XXVIII.  The  President's  Action      .        .        .280 

XXIX.  The  Battle       , 290 

XXX.  The  Following  Day    ....      302 

XXXI.  Antietam 311 

XXXII.  Conclusion 323 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

They  were  falling  by  scores  (page  303)    Frontispiece 

"Dey  say  yo'  hab  Hawns" 58 

Noel  heard  the  Bullet  as  it  whistled  past     .  152 
"Who's  in  there?" 200 

From  drawings  by  George  Avison 


Writing  or  marking  in  this  book  even  foe 
the  correction  of  typographical  errors,  is 
strictly  fo/bidden.  Any  defacement  or  **<u- 
tilation  will  be  charged  to  the  last  borrow- 
er preceeding  the  discovery. 

THE  YOUNG  SHARPSHOOTER 
AT  ANTIETAM 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  IRISHMAN   AND    HIS   PIG 

"  You  're  too  noisy,  Dennis." 

"What's  the  harm?"  replied  Dennis 
O'Hara  as  he  stopped  a  moment  and  looked 
all  about  him.  "  There  are  no  Johnnies  around 
here." 

"You  don't  know  whether  there  are  or 
not,"  retorted  Noel  Curtis  sharply,  as  he  too 
glanced  in  either  direction  along  the  dusty 
road  over  which  the  two  young  soldiers  were 
tramping  that  September  day  in  1862.  Both 
were  clad  in  the  uniform  of  the  Union  army, 
and  the  manner  in  which  they  carried  their 
rifles  gave  evidence  of  the  fact  that  both 
young  soldiers  were  well  known  in  the  army 
of  General  McClellan  for  their  skill  as  sharp- 
shooters. 

"'Tis  nothing  I'm  afraid  of  now,"  said 
Dennis  gleefully,  as  he  shifted  from  one 
shoulder  to  the  other  the  body  of  a  small  pig 


2    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

which  he  had  secured  in  his  foraging  expedi- 
tion with  his  companions. 

The  day  was  one  to  stir  the  souls  of  both 
young  men,  who  were  thoroughly  wearied 
by  the  routine  of  the  camp  life  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  where  they  had  been  stationed  with 
about  eight  thousand  other  Union  soldiers. 
There  was  a  haze  in  the  distance  that  covered 
the  summits  of  the  hills  and  even  the  waters 
of  the  near-by  stream  seemed  to  be  subdued 
as  they  rushed  on  their  way  to  join  the  Poto- 
mac. 

"  'T  is  a  fine  day,"  exclaimed  Dennis ;  and 
at  once  he  began  to  sing, — 

"  My  rations  are  S.  B., 
Taken  from  porkers  three 

Thousand  years  old  ; 
And  hard-tack  cut  and  dried 
Long  before  Noah  died,  — 
From  what  wars  left  aside 

Ne'er  can  be  told." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  <S.B.'?"  laughed 
Noel. 

"  Sometimes  't  is  said  to  mean  c  salt  bacon,' 
and  then  again  maybe  'tis  'salt  beef/  and 
sometimes  we  call  it  '  soaked  beans.'  What- 
ever it  is  I  have  had  my  fill  of  it.  Shure,  Noel, 
me  boy,  it 's  you  and  I  that  will  be  feasting 


THE   IRISHMAN  AND  HIS  PIG  3 

ourselves  on  some  roast  pork  before  to-mor- 
row morninV 

"  Look  at  those  pickaninnies  !  "  exclaimed 
Noel,  as  he  pointed  to  a  little  hut  from  which 
a  stream  of  black-faced  urchins  appeared,  who 
were  rushing  to  join  their  companions  in  the 
road  and  watch  the  two  approaching  Union 
soldiers. 

"Wait  'til  I  sing  them  a  song,  too,"  ex- 
claimed Dennis ;  and  once  more  he  began  to 
sing,— 

"  Ole  massa  run,  ha  !  ha  ! 
De  darkies  stay,  ho !  ho  ! 
It  must  be  now  dat  de  kingdom  's  comin' 
And  de  year  of  Jubilo." 

In  addition  to  the  crowd  of  dusky-faced 
children  several  older  negroes  now  joined  the 
group  to  watch  the  passing  Union  soldiers. 
The  boys  in  blue  were  still  such  a  novelty  to 
many  of  the  slaves  that  their  appearance  usu- 
ally served  to  summon  speedily  a  band  of  the 
admiring  dusky  spectators. 

Dennis,  unfamiliar  with  the  colored  people 
and  their  ways,  had  never  ceased  to  express 
his  dislike  of  them.  Many  a  time  in  the  camp 
when  the  soldier  boys  had  wanted  to  have  a 
little  sport  they  would  call  upon  Dennis  to 
"  cuss  the  niggers,"  by  which  term  they  de- 


4    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

scribed  Dennis's  oratorical  efforts.  Standing 
upon  the  bead  of  a  barrel,  or  mounting  some 
box  near  the  quarters  of  the  sutler,  with  his 
ready  tongue  Dennis  promptly  poured  forth 
a  steady  stream  of  almost  meaningless  words 
that  were  supposed  to  be  descriptive  of  his 
feeling  of  antipathy  toward  the  people  for 
whose  liberty  he  was  fighting. 

In  the  company  of  negroes  at  this  time  as- 
sembled to  watch  the  passing  of  the  two  young 
soldiers  there  was  one  woman,  manifestly  an 
old  field-hand,  whose  size  was  so  immense  as 
to  be  impressive.  The  admiration  with  which 
the  woman  gazed  upon  Dennis  was  returned 
in  the  expression  of  astonishment  with  which 
the  yowjg  Irish  soldier  stared  at  this  huge 
negress. 

"  Shure,  Noel,"  he  exclaimed  to  his  friend 
in  a  loud  whisper,  "'tis  not  an  ounce  liss  than 
four  hundred  pounds  she  weighs." 

Noel  laughed  and  did  not  reply  as  he  looked 
again  at  the  strange  woman.  Her  cheeks  hung 
down  almost  to  her  shoulders,  and  her  im- 
mense lower  lip,  which  appeared  to  be  nearly 
an  inch  in  thickness,  and  her  hair,  which  in 
appearance  was  not  unlike  the  tail  of  a  horse 
after  the  animal  has  been  feeding  in  some  field 
where   cockles   abound,  increased  the  weird 


THE  IRISHMAN  AND  HIS   PIG  5 

expression  with  which  she  beamed  upon  the 
approaching  boys. 

All  of  the  negroes  by  this  time  were  be- 
coming more  and  more  excited.  Their  eyes 
seemed  almost  to  protrude  from  their  faces. 
They  soon  began  to  sing  and  dance,  and  min- 
gled with  the  strange  noises  were  the  wild  and 
weird  shouts  they  occasionally  uttered.  The 
huge  negress  was  the  wildest  of  all. 

Neither  of  the  approaching  soldiers  looked 
at  the  spectacle  with  any  other  thought  than 
that  of  curiosity.  To  both  of  them  up  to  the 
time  of  their  enlistment  a  negro  had  been  a 
rare  sight.  Since  they  had  entered  the  army, 
of  course  they  naturally  had  come  frequently 
in  contact  with  the  dusky  slaves.  And  the  con- 
trabands also  on  many  occasions  had  flocked 
into  the  camps,  confidently  expecting  to  be 
sent  North  by  their  soldier  friends. 

Suddenly  the  huge  negress  abruptly  started 
toward  the  young  soldiers.  Swinging  her  arms 
as  she  ran,  she  swiftly  approached  the  boys, 
who  had  stopped  abruptly  when  they  first  dis- 
covered her  action. 

"  Bress  de  Lor' !  Bress  de  Lor' !  Yo  's  de 
ones  we 's  been  prayin'  fo'  dese  f  o'  yeahs ! 
Lor'  bress  ye,  honey !  I  lub  ye !  I  lub  ye  !  " 
she  added  in  her  excitement,  as  she  lunged 


6    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

toward  Dennis,  who  was  the  particular  object 
of  her  attack. 

For  a  moment  the  startled  young  Irishman 
gazed  in  mingled  disgust  and  fear  at  the  huge 
negress,  who  was  rapidly  approaching.  Then 
without  a  word  of  explanation  Dennis  O'Hara, 
who  on  the  battle-field  had  been  brave  almost 
beyond  the  power  of  description,  abruptly 
turned  and  fled  from  the  excited  negress.  A 
wild  shout  from  the  assemblage  followed  his 
unexpected  departure,  and  even  Noel  was  com- 
pelled to  laugh  when  he  saw  the  huge  woman 
start  in  swift  and  awkward  pursuit  of  the  flee- 
ing soldier. 

Unwilling  to  let  go  his  hold  upon  the  pig, 
which  he  had  secured  in  his  foraging,  Dennis 
was  greatly  hampered  in  his  flight.  With  long 
strides  the  black  woman  gained  rapidly  upon 
him.  Once  Dennis  emitted  a  loud  whoop  of 
terror  or  warning,  Noel  was  unable  to  decide 
which. 

The  excitement  of  the  negoes  became  more 
marked  as  it  was  seen  that  the  efforts  of  Dennis 
to  escape  were  unavailing.  Nearer  and  nearer 
came  the  excited  black  woman,  and  in  a  brief 
time  she  flung  her  great  arms  about  Dennis,  who 
was  helpless  to  protect  himself,  as  he  still  was 
unwilling  to  let  go  his  hold  upon  his  prize. 


THE  IRISHMAN   AND   HIS   PIG  7 

"  Lor'  bress  ye,  honey ! "  shouted  the  woman 
as  she  clasped  the  unwilling  soldier  in  her 
arm.  "  Bress  de  Lor' !  Bress  de  Lor' !  We  hab 
bin  prayin'  f o'  yo'  dese  f  o'  yeahs  !  M  —  m 
—  m  — 

Her  grasp  evidently  became  more  vigorous 
and  her  enthusiasm  more  marked  as  the  plight 
of  the  helpless  soldier  became  more  manifest. 
The  watching  negroes,  almost  hilarious  by  this 
time,  started  toward  the  place  where  the  ex- 
citing scene  was  being  enacted. 

What  the  outcome  might  be  now  began  to 
trouble  even  Noel,  who  rapidly  advanced  to 
the  side  of  his  friend,  and  shouted  to  the 
approaching  blacks,  "  Keep  back !  Keep 
back!" 

The  negroes,  however,  either  were  too  ex- 
cited or  were  unwilling"  at  first  to  heed  the 
request,  and  in  a  screaming,  laughing,  shout- 
ing mob  they  still  pressed  forward. 

The  n  egress,  as  has  been  said,  apparently 
a  field-hand,  was  possessed  of  great  physical 
strength,  and  it  was  plain  that  Dennis  was 
unable  to  protect  or  even  release  himself  as 
long  as  he  held  to  the  body  of  the  pig. 

As  Noel  approached,  Dennis  shouted  excit- 
edly to  him,  "  Take  the  porker,  Noel,  me  boy! 
Take  me  gun,  too !  Help  me  out  o'  this ! " 


8    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Bress  ye,  honey  !  We  hab  bin  waitin'  fo' 
yeahs  f o'  yo'  to  come !  We 's  been  prayin'  all 
de  time  and  when  I  hear  yo'  singin'  about '  Ole 
massa  run,  ha !  ha ! '  and  '  De  darkies  stay, 
ho !  ho ! '  den  I  des  know  de  kingdom  was 
come  shore  'nuff  and  de  yeah  of  Jubilo  was 


rig 


lit  yere  ! 


>> 


Too  angry  to  respond,  Dennis  waited  until 
Noel  had  relieved  him  of  his  gun  and  the  pig, 
and  then  with  one  violent  effort  freed  himself 
from  the  grasp  of  the  excited  black  woman. 

When  she  made  as  if  she  was  about  to  ap- 
proach him  once  more  and  renew  her  expres- 
sion of  delight  over  the  coming  of  the  boys 
in  blue,  Dennis  suddenly  seized  the  little  pig 
that  Noel  was  holding  and  swinging  it  with 
all  his  strength  struck  the  woman  with  it  upon 
the  side  of  her  face. 

The  effect  of  his  effort,  however,  was  plainly 
not  more  than  to  cause  the  huge  mass  of  flesh 
to  stop  a  moment,  but  not  to  abandon  the 
efforts  in  which  the  negress  was  engaged. 
Again  Dennis  drew  back  the  little  pig  and 
again  struck  at  his  tormentor.  His  second  ef- 
fort, however,  like  his  first,  was  unable  to 
check  the  fervor  of  the  powerful  woman.  r 
remaining  negroes  now  were  almost  upon 
struggling  pair.  The  fear  in  Noel's  heart  * 


THE  IRISHMAN  AND  HIS  PIG  9 

some  harm  might  come  to  Dennis  or  to  him- 
self became  real. 

"  Stand  back  there  !  "  he  shouted.  "  Don't 
come  any  nearer  !  " 

At  his  word  the  crowd  halted  and,  quickly 
taking  advantage  of  the  interval,  Noel  said, 
"  This  woman  says  you  have  been  praying  for 
four  years  for  us  to  come." 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  We  shore  has  !  Dis 
yere  is  de  Jubilo,  shore  'nuff!  Shore  'nuff ! 
Ole  massa  goin'  to  run,  and  de  darkies  goin' 
to  stay ! " 

"  Do  you  know  that  song  ?  "  inquired  Noel. 

"  We  shore  does!  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  We 
kno<  s  it !  " 

"  Then  I  want  you  to  stand  up  by  the  side 
of  the  road  and  sing  it  while  we  march  back 
to  camp." 

Laughingly  the  dusky  crowd  arranged 
themselves  in  lines  along  the  roadside  accord- 
ing to  Noel's  bidding.  Even  the  huge  negress, 
after  some  persuasion,  reluctantly  took  her 
stand  at  the  head  of  the  line  on  the  right. 

"  Now,  then,  everybody  sing  ! "  called  Noel, 
after  he  had  whispered  to  Dennis,  "Take  your 
gun  and  pig  and  start  out  of  this,  but  don't 
ry  to  be  in  too  much  of  a  hurry." 

"  All  right,"  he  called  loudly,  as  he  passed 


10    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  negress.  There  was  a  laughing  response 
and  instantly  Noel  and  Dennis,  as  they  quickly 
advanced  began  to  sing,  — 

"  Ole  massa  run,  ha !  ha ! 
De  darkies  stay,  ho  !  ho ! 
It  must  be  now  dat  de  kingdom  's  comin' 
And  de  year  ob  Jubilo." 

Glancing  neither  to  the  right  nor  left  the 
two  soldiers  steadily  moved  forward  and  in  a 
brief  time  passed  beyond  the  strange  assem- 
bly on  the  roadside. 

"Is  she  after  me,  lad?"  whispered  Dennis 
loudly,  glancing  anxiously  behind  him. 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Noel,  "  but  I 
shan't  look  back  just  yet.  I  don't  hear  any- 
body coming  and  they  are  singing  like  mad 
back  there  yet." 

"  Just  listen  to  them,  will  you ! "  he  added 
as  there  came  from  the  crowd  an  increased 
volume  of  sound,  which  was  somewhat  indic- 
ative of  the  excitement  that  possessed  the 
assembly. 

"  I  guess  we  're  all  right  now,"  Noel  said 
a  few  minutes  later  when  they  had  turned  a 
bend  in  the  road  and  their  admirers  no  longer 
were  to  be  seen. 

"Now,  Noel,  me  boy,"  said  Dennis,  "I 
want  ye  to  promise  me  something." 


THE  IRISHMAN  AND  HIS  PIG         11 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  inquired  Noel  quizzically, 
although  he  was  confident  that  he  understood 
what  the  request  of  his  companion  was  to  be. 
"  I  want  ye  to  promise  me  that  ye  '11  kape 
what  happened  here  a  sacret.  'Tis  just  be- 
tween you  and  me,  me  boy." 

"  Oh,  but,  Dennis,"  suggested  Noel,  "think 
what  fun  the  boys  in  the  camp  will  miss  if 
we  don't  tell  them  what  the  black  woman 
did." 

" Shure,  you  won't  tell  on  me!"  Dennis 
pleaded  as  he  stopped  a  moment  and  gazed 
anxiously  at  his  companion. 

"  I  shall  have  to  think  about  that,"  replied 
Noel  mockingly. 

3  expression  of  consternation  that  ap- 
1  for  a  moment  on  the  face  of  his  com- 
n  caused  the  young  soldier  to  laugh 
ily. 

Vhy  don't  you  tell  them  about  it  your- 
Dennis  ?  "  he  asked  abruptly, 
^iver ! "  replied  the  young  Irish  soldier. 
is  one  of  the  sacrets  I  shall  niver  tell,  not 
veu  to  me  mither.  But  I  want  to  feel  that 
will  help  me  to  kape  the  sacret." 
I'll  agree  not  to  tell  it  to-night,"  said 
I  at  last. 
Well,  I  suppose  I  '11  have  to  be  contint 


12    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

wid  that,  thin,"  responded  Dennis.  "  But  let 
me  tell  ye  wan  thing,  Noel  Curtis.  If  I  find 
the  story  ever  does  lake  out,  I  shall  know 
where  it  came  from  and  the  fellow  that  tells 
on  me  will  want  to  go  to  the  surgeon  to  be  put 
together.  Indade  an'  he  will  that!" 

"  He  won't  if  he  gets  that  black  woman  here 
to  help  him/'  laughed  Noel.  "Now,  how  are 
you  going  to  get  that  pig  into  the  camp  ?  You 
know  what  the  colonel  said  about  foraging, 
and  what  he  told  us  would  happen  to  the  boy 
who  tried  it,  after  such  strict  orders  had  been 
given  against  it." 

"  Shure,  and  I  '11  give  the  colonel  a  piece 
o'  the  rib  o'  me  pig.  When  he  once  swallows 
that  he  '11  forget  all  about  his  orders." 

"I'm  not  so  sure  about  that,"  said  Noel 
good-naturedly.  "  But  here  we  are  almost  back 
to  camp,  and  you  '11  have  a  chance  to  try  it 
out  in  a  little  while." 


CHAPTER  II 


THE   SUTLER'S   GOODS 


The  appearance  of  the  two  soldiers  in  the 
camp  at  once  attracted  the  attention  of  their 
comrades.  It  had  been  long  since  any  of  them 
had  tasted  fresh  meat  and  the  sight  of  the  pig 
which  Dennis  still  was  carrying  upon  his 
shoulders  aroused  the  desire  of  every  beholder 
to  share  in  the  repast  which  was  to  follow. 
There  were  many  laughing  calls  to  be  invited 
to  the  feast,  to  all  of  which  Dennis  responded 
good-naturedly,  but  without  in  any  way  com- 
mitting himself  unduly  to  the  increase  of  the 
numbers  of  those  with  whom  he  intended  to 
share  the  change  in  the  camp  diet. 

"  Hello,  Levi,"  called  Dennis,  as  he  and 
Noel  passed  the  sutler's  tent. 

Levi  Kadoff,  one  of  the  sutlers,  who,  by 
some  strange  methods,  had  obtained  the  priv- 
ilege of  selling  the  soldiers  from  his  stock 
which  was  displayed  in  a  tent  not  far  from 
the  center  of  the  camp,  looked  hastily  up  as 
he  was  greeted.  His  love  for  pork  was  not 
strong,  but  apparently  was  the  only  limit  to 


14    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

his  desires.  At  exorbitant  prices  he  had  been 
selling  his  wares,  and  he  had  interfered  in  so 
many  ways  with  the  camp  life  and  had  been 
so  disagreeable  to  most  of  the  soldiers  that 
at  the  time  he  was  the  most  detested  man  in 
Harper's  Ferry.  He  had  used  every  artifice  in 
inducing  the  boys  in  blue  to  buy  from  him, 
and  many  of  the  sales  which  he  made  were 
called  robbery  by  those  who  had  been  per- 
suaded to  buy. 

"  Vere  you  haf  been  ?  "  demanded  the  sutler, 
as  Dennis  and  Noel  halted  in  front  of  him. 

"  Been  out  foraging,"  answered  Dennis 
loudly.  "  We  have  a  pig  here.  If  you  will 
come  up  to  my  tent  after  dark,  I  '11  give  you 
a  slice  o'  spare  rib." 

The  expression  of  disgust  which  appeared 
instantly  upon  the  face  of  Levi  caused  Noel 
to  laugh  heartily,  but  the  countenance  of 
Dennis  was  unchanged,  as  he  stared  at  the 
angry  sutler. 

"What's  the  matter,  Levi?"  he  said. 
"Don't  you  like  pork?" 

Again  an  expression  of  disgust  appeared 
upon  the  face  of  the  sutler,  but  he  made  no 
direct  reply  to  the  question. 

"  How  much  are  you  charging  for  milk  this 
mornin'?"  inquired  Dennis. 


THE  SUTLER'S  GOODS  15 

"  Twenty-five  cents  a  glass.' ' 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  demanded  Dennis.  "  Shure, 
it  was  twinty  cints  when  I  left  camp,  and  you 
have  not  put  it  up  over  five  cints  since  the 
mornin'  !  I  thought  you  would  have  it  up  to 
fifty  cints  shure  by  this  time.  Levi,  have  you 
a  bit  of  a  conscience  at  all  left  yet  ?  " 

"I  vas  all  consciences,"  replied  Levi,  spread- 
ing out  his  hands  as  he  spoke.  "  I  don't  think 
how  I  shall  be  able  to  do  business  here  much 
longer.  Dese  things  gets  me  —  " 

"  Of  course  you  won't  do  business  here 
much  longer,"  broke  in  Dennis.  "  You  won't 
have  to.  Before  you  go,  some  of  the  boys  will 
have  to  come  down  and  give  you  a  good  send- 
off." 

"  No  !  No  !  "  protested  Levi  excitedly. 
"  They  must  not  do  dat.  I  haf  been  der  very 
goot  friend.  I  have  made  leedle,  very  leedle 
money." 

"  Don't  be  scared,  Levi.  We  know  just  how 
much  money  you  have  made.  Some  of  the 
boys  have  been  kapin'  tabs  on  you.  If  we 
should  take  whativer  you  have  here,  you  would 
still  be  rich  enough,  and  the  boys  would  feel 
that  they  were  only  gittin'  even  with  you  for 
the  way  you  have  treated  them." 

The  eyes  of  the  angry  sutler  snapped,  as 


16    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

he  turned  sharply  upon  the  young  soldier.  "  If 
I  choose  I  can  reports  to  der  colonel  vat  you 
have  been  doing." 

"  What  have  I  been  doin'  ?  "  demanded 
Dennis  innocently. 

"  You  know  dere  vas  strict  orders  against 
foraging.  I  think  now  I  shall  report  to  the 
colonel." 

The  young  soldiers  remained  no  longer  at 
the  sutler's  tent. 

"  I  believe  that  fellow  will  report  you  to  the 
colonel,"  Noel  said  to  his  companion. 

"  To  be  shure  he  will.  He 's  likely  to  do  that, 
and  if  he  does  he  's  likely  to  get  somethin> 
more." 

The  reports  were  current  in  the  camp  that 
orders  had  been  reissued  against  any  foraging 
on  the  part  of  any  of  the  men. 

Whether  or  not  it  was  due  to  the  feast  which 
Dennis  and  Noel  prepared  that  night  when 
their  pig  was  roasted,  or  to  the  monotony  of 
the  camp  fare  to  which  the  soldiers  still  ir- 
reverently referred  as  "  S.  B.,"  is  not  known, 
but  at  all  events  the  temptation  to  find  fresh 
food,  and  especially  fresh  meat,  outside  the 
boundaries  of  the  camp  proved  to  be  too  strong 
for  many  of  the  boys  in  blue. 

It  was  not  long  afterward  when  Dennis  with 


THE  SUTLER'S  GOODS  17 

others  was  tempted  beyond  his  power  of  re- 
sistance and  again  was  found  among  those  who 
were  foraging  in  the  regions  adjacent  to  the 
camp. 

A  dozen  or  more  were  in  the  company  and, 
as  the  soldiers  believed,  through  the  reports 
of  Levi  Kadoff,  the  colonel  had  been  informed 
of  the  escapade.  Consequently  when  the  men 
returned  to  the  camp  the  angry  colonel,  taking 
a  position  near  the  guard,  ordered  the  en- 
trance of  the  men  singly  or  in  pairs,  and  then 
demanded  of  every  one  that  he  should  dis- 
close what  he  had  obtained  in  this  foraging, 
against  the  strict  command  which  had  been 
issued. 

Shamefacedly  and  with  many  threats  against 
the  little  sutler,  the  returning  soldiers  showed 
what  they  had  secured,  oftentimes  through 
hard  labor. 

Meanwhile  the  pile  upon  which  the  colonel 
had  commanded  every  soldier  to  cast  whatever 
he  had  obtained  grew  steadily.  Chickens,  an 
occasional  ham,  various  vegetables,  and  other 
articles  composed  the  greater  part  of  the  rap- 
idly increasing  heap. 

Most  of  those  who  had  been  engaged  in  the 
forbidden  occupation  had  already  returned  to 
camp,  when  Dennis  O'Hara  at  last  appeared. 


18     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

This  time,  however,  Noel  Curtis  was  not  with 
his  friend. 

As  Dennis  drew  near  the  guard  he  discov- 
ered the  presence  of  the  colonel,  but  if  he  was 
alarmed  by  his  discovery,  his  feeling  was  not 
betrayed  by  any  change  in  the  expression  of 
his  face.  And  yet  apparently  Dennis  was  the 
most  guilty  of  all  the  men.  Inside  his  coat  was 
something  which  caused  the  garment  to  pro- 
trude in  such  a  manner  as  to  reveal,  and  yet 
at  the  same  time  to  conceal,  whatever  Dennis 
had  secured. 

Demurely  the  young  Irish  soldier  ap- 
proached the  waiting  colonel  and,  as  the  officer 
sharply  ordered  him  to  halt,  Dennis  and  a  few 
watching  soldiers  were  aware  that  the  colonel's 
patience  was  entirely  exhausted.  He  was  not 
only  angry  that  his  commands  had  been  dis- 
obeyed, but  manifestly  the  indifference  of  the 
young  soldier  increased  his  feeling  of  irrita- 
tion. 

"What  have  you  inside  your  coat?"  de- 
manded the  irate  colonel. 

"Yis,  sor!  Yis,  sor!"  retorted  Dennis,  sa- 
luting as  he  spoke. 

"  What  have  you  inside  your  coat  ?  "  re- 
peated the  angry  officer. 

"  Nothin'  of  any  value,  sor." 


THE  SUTLER'S   GOODS  19 

"  I  don't  believe  what  you  say !  A  man  who 
will  disobey  orders  will  lie  about  his  disobedi- 
ence !  Unbutton  your  coat,  sir,  and  show  me 
what  you  have  !  " 

"Indade,  sor,"  protested  Dennis,  "'tis  noth- 
in'  I  have  which  will  interest  the  likes  of  you, 
Colonel  Kathbun.  "  'T  is  nothin'  of  any  value 
at  all  I  have." 

"  Unbutton  your  coat,  sir,  and  throw  what 
you  have  stolen  on  to  this  pile,  where  the  rest 
of  your  thievish  comrades  have  placed  what 
they  stole ! " 

"  Indade,  sor,"  protested  Dennis  once  more, 
"  't  is  nothin'  of  any  value.  I  did  n't  rob  any- 
body, sor !  I  —  " 

"  Do  as  I  tell  you  ! "  demanded  the  angry 
colonel,  "or  I  will  order  you  to  be  taken  to 
the  guard-house ! " 

"  Yis,  sor !  Yis,  sor  !  "  responded  Dennis 
promptly,  as  he  began  to  fumble  at  the  but- 
tons of  his  jacket. 

The  garment,  however,  had  been  drawn  so 
tightly  about  him  to  cover  the  object  he  was 
trying  to  conceal  that  it  was  with  great  apparent 
difficulty  he  obeyed. 

Watching  the  awkward  attempts  of  the 
young  Irish  soldier  to  comply  with  the  de- 
mand of  the  colonel,  many  of  the  men  of  the 


20    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

regiment  were  crowding  about  the  place.  Curi- 
osity as  to  the  prize  which  Dennis  had  secured 
and  suspicion  that  his  sober  face  belied  the 
feeling  in  his  heart,  and  the  general  knowledge 
that  Dennis  O'Hara  was  one  of  the  worst  prac- 
tical jokers  in  the  camp,  combined  with  other 
motives  that  steadily  increased  the  number  of 
the  spectators. 

After  several  attempts  Dennis  succeeded  in 
unbuttoning  the  upper  buttons  of  his  jacket, 
and  then  again  he  paused  and  facing  the 
colonel  said,  "  'T  is  nothin'  that  will  interest 
you,  Colonel.  I  have  n't  taken  anything  of 
value  —  " 

"  Not  another  word  from  you,  sir! "  shouted 
the  angry  officer.  "  Do  as  I  tell  you !  Unbutton 
your  coat  and  show  what  you  have  stolen  and 
throw  it  on  the  heap  where  the  other  things 
are  piled ! " 

"  Yis,  sor !  Yis,  sor ! "  said  Dennis,  speaking 
almost  sadly,  as  he  resumed  his  occupation 
and  in  a  brief  time  succeeded  in  unbuttoning 
his  jacket. 

As  he  did  so  a  small  block  of  wood  fell  to 
the  ground.  For  a  moment  the  men  stared 
blankly  at  Dennis's  "  prize  "  and  then  broke 
into  loud  and  prolonged  laughter. 

The  colonel's  face  flushed  slowly  when  he 


THE   SUTLER'S   GOODS  21 

discovered  the  true  possession  of  the  young 
Irishman,  and  then  in  a  good-natured  way  he 
struck  the  block  of  wood  with  his  sword  and 
turning  to  his  men  said,  "  Sold  !  I  have  been 
sold,  and  shall  have  to  own  up  to  it.  You 
young  rascal,"  he  said,  once  more  addressing 
Dennis,  u  I  have  half  a  mind  to  send  you  to 
the  guard-house  on  general  principles.  You 
had  no  business  to  play  such  pranks  as  that." 

"  But,  Colonel,"  protested  Dennis  demurely, 
"I  did  n't  want  to  play  it.  I  did  my  best  not 
to,  but  you  ordered  me  to,  so  you  see  I  had 
to.  I  was  just  bringing  in  a  present." 

"  A  present  ?  "  demanded  the  colonel,  as  the 
men  laughed  again.  "A  present?  To  whom 
were  you  going  to  give  that  block  of  wood?" 

"  Shure  I  was  going  to  give  it  to  the  sutler," 
replied  Dennis.  "  I  had  an  idea  that  it  would 
match  his  head." 

The  boys  dispersed,  pleased  that  the  colo- 
nel had  been  so  lenient  with  them  and  that 
their  only  punishment  had  been  the  loss  of 
the  articles  which  they  had  secured  in  their 
expedition. 

When  the  two  young  soldiers  were  again 
in  their  tent,  Dennis  said  to  Noel,  "That  little 
sutler,  Levi,  is  to  blame  for  all  this  trouble. 
He  thought  the  boys  would  be  after  buyin' 


22    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

not  so  much  of  him.  He  's  the  first  of  all  the 
men  who  put  us  on   hard  tack  that  was  '  cut 
and   dried    long    before    Noah  died.' "    And 
Dennis  began  to  sing  noisily,  — 
"  My  rations  are  S.  B., 
Taken  from  porkers  three 

Thousand  years  old  ; 
And  hard-tack  cut  and  dried 
Long  before  Noah  died,  — 
From  what  wars  left  aside 
Ne'er  can  be  told." 

"  I  'm  afraid  the  colonel  won't  be  so  easy 
next  time,"  suggested  Noel. 

"Don't  you  worry  about  that,"  said  Den- 
nis. "  The  next  time  there  won't  be  any  Levi 
to  carry  tales  to  him.  I  have  got  it  all  fixed 
up  in  me  mind.  We  're  going  to  make  Levi  a 
good  soldier." 

"  You  can't  do  that,"  laughed  Noel,  "  un- 
less you  begin  at  his  feet." 

"  That 's  where  we  propose  to  begin." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"  Noel,  me  boy,"  whispered  Dennis, "  I  can't 
tell  you  all  the  details,  but  we're  goin'  to 
have  a  sham  fight  here  between  the  Forty- 
sixth  and  the  Fifty-first,  and  I  shouldn't  be 
one  bit  surprised  if  Levi  Kadoff's  supplies 
were  somewhere  near  the  middle  of  the 
battle-ground." 


THE  SUTLER'S   GOODS  23 

Noel  laughed  and  thought  no  more  con- 
cerning the  statement  of  his  comrade  until  the 
following  day  when  to  his  surprise  he  discov- 
ered that  there  was,  indeed,  to  be  a  sham 
battle  between  some  of  the  men  of  the  two 
regiments  to  which  Dennis  had  referred. 

An  interested  spectator  he  watched  the  two 
regiments  when  they  formed  in  line  near  the 
tent  of  the  sutler,  Levi  Kadoff.  Nor  was  he  the 
only  spectator,  for  near  by  were  assembled  many 
of  the  men,  all  apparently  aware  that  some- 
thing of  unusual  interest  was  about  to  occur. 

At  last,  when  everything  was  in  readiness, 
the  Forty-sixth  charged  their  opponents  and 
with  little  effort  drove  them  back.  The  Fifty- 
first,  however,  rallied,  and  then  began  to  press 
their  foes  back  to  their  former  position.  In  the 
midst  of  all  the  efforts  there  was  wild  excite- 
ment and  loud  cheers  among  the  spectators, 
whose  numbers  increased  with  every  passing 
moment. 

When  the  Fifty-first  re-formed,  it  was  di- 
rectly in  front  of  Levi's  tent  of  supplies.  A 
few  minutes  later,  the  bugle  sounded  and  the 
Forty-sixth  charged  again. 

Down  came  the  laughing  boys  like  a  whirl- 
wind, every  one  yelling  as  loudly  as  his  lungs 
enabled  him. 


24    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Apparently  the  sight  of  the  charge  of  the 
noisy  soldiers  brought  dismay  to  the  hearts 
of  the  re-formed  regiment,  and  before  a  word 
had  been  spoken  they  began  to  fall  back.  The 
applause  and  laughter  among  the  spectators 
increased  as  the  howling,  laughing  mass  of 
soldiers  ran  swiftly  forward  driving  their 
"enemies"  before  them. 

Unfortunately  for  the  sutler,  his  tent  and 
supplies  were  directly  in  the  way  of  the  re- 
treating Fifty-first.  No  one  afterward  could 
explain  how  it  had  been  done,  but  the  ropes 
of  Levi's  tent  somehow  were  cut,  and  in  a  trice 
the  stock  of  the  little  sutler  was  scattered  over 
what  seemed  to  be  a  half -acre  of  ground. 
There  were  few  of  the  soldiers  who  did  not 
have  some  articles  in  their  hands.  The  battle 
itself  seemed  to  have  been  forgotten,  and  in 
a  brief  time  all  the  goods  had  disappeared, 
either  into  haversacks  or  into  secret  pockets 
of  the  thoughtless  soldiers. 

Levi,  almost  like  a  madman,  was  fighting 
to  save  his  property.  At  one  time  he  seized  a 
cheese-knife  and  with  it  strove  desperately  to 
strike  some  of  the  boys.  He  was  quickly  dis- 
armed, however,  and  as  he  was  pushed  from 
one  to  another  he  not  only  found  no  place 
upon  which  his  feet  could  secure  a  resting- 


THE  SUTLER'S  GOODS  25 

place,  but  no  other  weapon  came  within  his 
grasp.  At  last,  when  he  was  released  by  the 
howling  mass  of  soldiers,  he  was  at  least  live 
hundred  yards  from  the  place  where  his  ruined 
store  had  been  located. 

It  was  manifest  now  that  every  soldier  un- 
derstood the  purpose  of  the  sham  battle.  The 
very  location  had  been  selected  with  the 
thought  to  bring  dire  troubles  upon  the  un- 
popular sutler,  who  so  often  had  taken  advan- 
tage of  the  boys  in  their  purchases  of  his  sup- 
plies. 

By  this  time,  however,  orders  had  come 
from  headquarters  which  speedily  dispersed 
the  disorderly  mob,  and  in  a  brief  time  the 
camp  resumed  its  former  appearance,  save  for 
the  loss  of  the  sutler's  stores  and  tent. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Noel  unexpectedly 
came  upon  the  little  sutler.  The  man  was  al- 
most beside  himself  with  anger  and  grief. 

"I  vill  haf  the  law  on  them! "  he  shouted. 
"  They  shall  be  shot,  efery  one !  I  vill  haf 
mine  goots  vonce  more  !  " 

Not  untouched  by  the  suffering  of  the  man, 
Noel  said  to  him,  "  I  don't  think  the  boys 
meant  anything  very  bad.  They  thought  you 
had  been  charging  them  too  much  for  what 
they  have  been  buying." 


26    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  I  haf  not !  It  vas  cheap !  It  vas  all  cheap ! 
But  I  vill  tell  you.  Dat  fellow  Dennis 
O'Hara,  he  it  is  who  has  made  all  dese  trou- 
bles. I  vill  gif  him  no  rest.  He  shall  pay  me 
back  efery  cent  vat  I  haf  lost.  I  shall  gif  him 
no  rest." 

Noel  laughed  lightly  as  he  turned  away,  not 
for  a  moment  taking  the  threats  of  the  angry 
man  seriously,  and  if  he  had  been  told  at  the 
time  that  the  very  lives  of  himself  and  his 
companions  would  depend  upon  a  word  of  the 
little  trader,  he  would  not  have  believed  the 
prophecy. 


CHAPTER  III 

INTERCEPTED 

In  spite  of  the  strict  orders  which  had  been 
issued  for  preventing  foraging,  either  the 
memory  of  the  feast  for  which  the  pig  that 
Dennis  had  secured  had  provided  the  main 
course,  or  the  restlessness  due  to  the  monot- 
ony of  camp  life,  caused  the  practice  to  be 
renewed  by  some  of  the  more  restless  spirits. 
Among  these'was  Dennis  O'Hara. 

A  few  days  afterward  Dennis  said  to  Noel, 
"Come  on,  lad,  we'll  take  a  walk  over  these 
hills." 

"What  for?"  inquired  Noel  suspiciously. 

"Shure,  and  'tis  to  see  the  scenery." 

"I  want  the  walk,"  said  Noel  promptly, 
"and  if  you  '11  promise  to  behave  yourself  and 
not  get  either  of  us  into  trouble  with  any  of 
your  pranks,  I  '11  go  with  you." 

Accordingly,  early  in  the  afternoon  leave 
was  obtained  and  the  two  young  soldiers  de- 
parted from  the  camp  at  Harper's  Ferry. 

As  yet  they  had  no  fear  of  an  immediate  ap- 
proach of  the  Confederates.  It  was  well  known 


28    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

that  General  Lee,  after  his  success  in  pre- 
venting General  McClellan  and  his  great  army 
from  advancing  up  the  Peninsula  to  take 
Richmond,  and  his  success  in  the  second  hat- 
tie  of  Rull  Run,  or  Manassas,  had  decided  to 
cross  the  Potomac  into  Maryland.  General 
Pope  had  been  relieved  of  his  command  and 
General  McClellan  had  been  reinstated  as  the 
leader  of  the  Northern  armies. 

The  action  of  General  Lee  in  deciding  to 
invade  the  North  produced  a  consternation 
that  was  followed  almost  by  a  panic.  There 
were  expectations  that  if  he  was  successful 
he  might  not  only  take  Washington,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  nation,  but  also  that  he  might 
move  against  Philadelphia  and  other  Northern 
cities. 

The  soldiers  of  the  Southern  army  were  fol- 
lowing Lee  with  a  devotion  and  enthusiasm 
that  at  the  time  were  without  a  parallel  in  the 
armies  of  the  North.  General  McClellan  doubt- 
less was  a  more  able  engineer  than  General 
Lee,  but  his  lack  of  prompt  decision  and  quick 
action  was  known  to  his  opponent,  for  both 
were  graduates  of  West  Point.  Either  his 
knowledge  of  the  lack  of  decision  on  the 
part  of  General  McClellan,  or  his  desire  for  the 
armies  of  the  North  to  withdraw  from  the  viciii- 


INTERCEPTED  29 

ity  of  Richmond,  because  its  defenders  might 
not  be  able  to  withstand  a  well-directed  and 
concerted  attack,  or  both  reasons,  may  have 
influenced  him  in  his  daring,  not  to  say  dan- 
gerous, attempt. 

It  was  not  until  later  in  the  war  that  a  man 
was  developed  who  commanded  the  confidence 
of  the  North  and  the  enthusiastic  loyalty  of 
the  Northern  troops. 

At  this  time,  in  1862,  there  were  divisions 
and  jealousies  among  the  men  and  almost  a 
total  lack  of  preparation  among  the  bodies  of 
troops. 

With  McClellan  in  command  again  there 
was  a  prompter  action  on  his  part  than  had 
been  manifest  throughout  his  Peninsula  cam- 
paign. It  was  a  critical  time  for  his  army  and 
himself,  and  a  time  of  peril  for  the  cities  of  the 
North  not  far  from  the  border. 

Early  in  the  preceding  spring  Noel  and 
Frank  Curtis,  twin  brothers,  whose  home  had 
been  on  the  shores  of  the  far-away  St.  Law- 
rence, had  enlisted,  and  had  been  assigned  to 
the  army  of  McClellan.  Since  they  had  been 
little  fellows  they  had  been  familiar  with  the 
use  of  the  rifle  and  had  acquired  such  skill 
that  both,  soon  after  they  had  joined  the  army, 
were  assigned  to  the  sharpshooters. 


30    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTI 

In  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  I 
been  wounded  and  sent  home  for  a  t  s 

brother  Frank  also  had  been  home 
lough.  At  the  beginning  of  the  fall  c  , 

Noel,  now  having  recovered  from  h._  .round, 
and  Frank  were  both  ordered  to  rejoin  the 
army. 

For  some  reason,  which  Noel  did  not  fully 
understand,  his  brother  had  been  assigned  to 
a  different  corps,  while  he,  together  with  eight 
thousand  of  his  comrades,  had  been  assigned 
to  the  holding  of  Harper's  Ferry.  Another 
small  division  had  been  stationed  at  Martins- 
burg  and  at  Winchester. 

It  was  not  known  among  these  garrisons 
that  General  Lee  had  expected,  upon  his  ad- 
vance into  Maryland,  that  these  troops  would 
quickly  be  withdrawn.  It  is  now  understood 
that  General  McClellan  had  written  General 
Halleck  to  recall  these  men  and  attach  them 
to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac ;  but  Halleck 
had  decided  to  retain  the  garrisons  in  the 
Valley,  and  his  decision  has  been  sharply 
criticized  on  the  ground  that  he  violated  every 
principle  of  sound  strategy. 

Among  the  friends  that  Frank  and  Noel 
had  made  there  was  young  Dennis  O'Hara,  a 
bright,  happy  young  Irishman,  about  twenty 


INTERCEPTED  31 

years  of  age,  just  two  years  older  than  the 
twin  brothers. 

The  friendship  had  been  strengthened  and 
the  intimacy  increased  after  the  brothers  had 
been  separated.  Dennis  and  Noel  now  were 
not  only  tent -mates,  but  almost  inseparable 
companions. 

As  yet  there  had  been  slight  call  for  their 
labors  at  Harper's  Ferry.  It  was  not  known 
that  the  Confederate  army  was  near,  and  in 
their  sense  of  security  most  of  the  men  were 
becoming  somewhat  careless  in  the  observ- 
ance of  their  duties. 

"  There 's  one  place,"  said  Dennis,  when  the 
two  young  soldiers  had  gone  a  mile  or  more 
from  their  quarters,  "  where  I  don't  want  to 
go  to-day." 

"Where's  that?" 

"  'T  is  where  that  fat  nager  woman  lives." 

"  But  she  said  she  was  one  of  the  best  friends 
you  had." 

"  (  Friends ' !  "  snapped  Dennis.  "  'Friends ' ! 
I  think  she 's  the  first  cousin,  and  maybe  she 's 
the  sister,  of  ould  Satan  himself.  You  don't 
catch  me  goin'  anywhere  near  that  place  again. 
If  she  thinks  I  came  down  here  to  set  such 
nagers  as  she  free,  she  's  very  much  mistaken. 
No,  sor !  Niver  again  !  If  she  should  run  after 

■*UBL!C  UBMI?\ 


may  10  im 


32    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

me  any  more,  she'll  only  reach  me  through 
me  dead  body." 

"  But  suppose,  Dennis,"  laughed  Noel,  "that 
you  found  another  pig  somewhere.  Which 
would  you  do,  drop  the  pig  or  keep  off  the  fat 
darky?" 

"  I  'd  keep  off  the  darky,  anyway,  though  I 
don't  think  I  should  let  go  me  pig.  'T  was  good 
of  you,  Noel,  to  give  me  your  word  that  you 
would  niver  tell  anybody  in  the  camp  about 
it." 

"  About  what?  "  inquired  Noel  innocently. 

"  About  what  took  place  the  other  day  when 
that  nager  woman  chased  me." 

"  When  did  I  promise?  " 

"  Shure,  you  promised  right  there  where 
we  were  whin  I  got  away  from  her,"  said 
Dennis,  as  he  stopped  abruptly  and  looked 
into  the  face  of  his  companion. 

"  But  I  don't  remember  making  any  such 
promise,"  said  Noel  slowly. 

"Indade,  an'  you  did,"  declared  Dennis. 
"  You  gave  me  your  word,  and  your  word  is 
better  nor  your  bond.  You  have  n't  breathed 
a  word  of  it  to  a  livin'  soul." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  have  n't  ?  " 

"  Because  if  you  had  whispered  it  even  to 
the  sutler 't  would  have  been  all  over  the  camp 


INTERCEPTED  33 

in  no  time.  I  knew  I  could  rely  on  you,  me 
boy." 

"But  I  tell  you,"  protested  Noel,  "I  don't 
remember  making  any  such  promise." 

"  You  shure  did,  and  if  you  did  n't  you  '11 
give  it  to  me  now." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  will  ?  "  protested  Noel, 
whose  opportunities  of  teasing  his  joke-loving 
tent-mate  were  not  numerous. 

If  there  was  any  mischief  in  the  camp  every 
one  bv  common  consent  declared  that  Dennis 
O'Hara  had  a  share  in  it,  if  he  was  not  the  prime 
mover.  But  like  all  practical  jokers,  Dennis, 
so  fond  of  playing  pranks  upon  others,  was 
usually  easily  angered  when  he  himself  was 
made  the  victim  of  the  pranks. 

"  Shure,  Noel,"  he  begged, "  you  '11  give  me 
your  promise  now  ?  Just  think  what  it  would 
mane  for  me.  Ugh ! "  he  added,  as  he  closed 
his  eyes  and  shuddered  at  the  recollection  of 
the  "  attack  "  of  the  huge  field-hand. 

"  But,  Dennis,"  protested  Noel,  "  she  was 
simply  trying  to  show  her  love  for  you.  She 
said  she  had  been  waiting  years  for  you  to 
come  down  here.  Indeed,  she  declared  that 
with  you  here  the  year  of  Jubilee  had  noth- 
ing to  offer." 

"  She  did  n't !  "  spoke  up  Dennis  promptly. 


34    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Indade,  an'  she  said  nothin'  of  the  kind !  If 
you  won't  mind,  Noel,"  he  added,  "  I  think 
I  '11  make  a  deetour  about  that  cabin  yonder," 
as  a  little  log  cabin  in  the  distance  was  seen. 

"  What 's  the  matter  now,  Dennis  ?  "  laughed 
Noel.  "You  are  n't  afraid  there  will  be  more 
field-hands  there  ?  " 

"  I  don't  feel  like  takin'  great  chances.  I 
tell  you,  Noel,  one  such  chase  is  enough  to 
last  a  man  a  lifetime." 

"  I  don't  know,  Dennis,  whether  or  not  we 
had  better  go  much  farther,"  said  Noel,  hesi- 
tating as  he  stood  on  the  hillside  and  looked 
anxiously  about  him.  "  We  must  be  five  or  six 
miles  from  camp  now  and  we  ought  to  get  back 
long  before  sunset." 

"  What's  scarin'  ye,  Noel?"  demanded 
Dennis. 

"Nothing  is  scaring  me,"  answered  Noel; 
"but  I  don't  want  to  get  a  reprimand  for  being 
late  in  the  camp.  We  would  n't  get  leave  to  be 
away  again  very  soon  if  we  did." 

"  There  are  no  Johnnies  around  here,  any- 
way." 

"You  don't  know  that,"  said  Noel  posi- 
tively. 

"  We  have  n't  seen  any." 

46  That  does  n't  mean  that  General  Lee  has 


INTERCEPTED  35 

not  sent  some  division  over  this  way.  He  has 
a  trick  of  doing  that,  you  know,  and  making 
his  men  show  up  where  they  aren't  always 
expected." 

"I  don't  mind  the  Johnnies,"  said  Dennis 
boldly,  "if  we  can  only  keep  away  from  the 
nagers.  Did  you  mind,  lad,  the  cockle-burrs 
that  were  in  the  wool  of  that  ould  field-hand 
that  tried  — " 

Dennis  stopped  abruptly,  and  turning 
sharply  listened  to  the  sounds  which  had  ap- 
parently come  from  the  valley  below  them. 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  he  whispered. 

"  That  sounded  like  a  rifle  shot,"  said  Noel 
seriously.  "I  tell  you,  Dennis,  we  must  get 
back  to  camp.  I  don't  want  to  take  any  chances 
of  being  cut  off,  and  it  would  be  mighty  easy 
for  some  Johnnie  to  get  between  us  and  the 
picket.  I  don't  like  the  sound  of  that  shot." 

"  No  more  do  I,"  agreed  Dennis.  "  I  'm  with 
you,  lad,  we  '11  start  for  the  camp." 

More  anxious  than  either  of  the  young  sol- 
diers was  willing  to  admit  to  his  companion, 
Noel  and  Dennis  started  hastily  down  the  hill- 
side, on  their  way  back  to  the  garrison  at  Har- 
per's Ferry. 

Even  thoughts  of  foraging  apparently  were 
ignored  or  forgotten  by  Dennis.   Success  had 


36    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

not  crowned  their  efforts  that  day.  Not  a 
pig  had  been  seen,  and  if  there  were  any 
chickens  in  the  region  they  had  been  success- 
fully hidden  by  their  owners.  A  few  withered 
beets  and  a  bunch  of  onions  comprised  the 
entire  stock  which  Dennis  had  secured  with 
all  his  efforts. 

"  Look  yonder,  will  ye ! "  exclaimed  the 
excited  young  Irishman  in  a  loud  whisper, 
pointing  as  he  spoke  to  a  small  body  of  men 
in  gray  who  could  be  seen  not  far  away  in  the 
road  before  them. 

"  We  '11  have  to  hide,"  whispered  Noel.  "It 
may  be  that  they  have  seen  us  already,  but  if 
they  have  n't  we  might  stand  a  chance  of  get- 
ting past  them.  Come  on ! "  he  added  as  he 
seized  his  companion  by  the  arm  and  drew  him 
to  the  roadside. 

The  discovery  which  the  two  young  soldiers 
had  made  was  doubly  threatening  because  the 
road  now  was  not  near  any  woods. 

The  partly  cleared  fields  were  inclosed  by 
rude  fences  of  rails.  Hastily  leaping  over  the 
fence,  Noel  and  Dennis  crouched  on  the 
ground  behind  the  rails. 

Before  they  had  taken  their  position  Den- 
nis whispered  hoarsely,  "  They  have  seen  us, 
lad.  There  must  be  twinty  men  in  that  band. 


INTERCEPTED  37 

If  we  try  for  the  woods  yonder,  they  '11  get  us 
both."  ' 

"  We  '11  have  to  stay  right  where  we  are, 
Dennis,  and  do  the  best  we  can  to  defend  our- 
selves." 

"  The  odds  are  only  tin  to  one,"  said  Den- 
nis, chuckling  as  if  the  fact  was  more  of  a  joke 
than  a  peril.  "They  're  comin,,  too,"  he  added 
as  he  pointed  toward  a  small  body  of  men  who 
could  be  seen  advancing  up  the  side  of  the 
hill. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   V   IN   THE   FENCE 

The  prophecy  of  Dennis  that  a  small  body 
of  men  were  approaching  up  the  winding  road 
was  in  part  fulfilled. 

The  men  advanced  until  both  the  crouching 
soldiers  were  able  to  see  distinctly  that  they 
were  clad  in  the  uniform  of  gray.  This  fact 
confirmed  their  suspicions  that  somehow  the 
small  body  of  men  had  come  between  them 
and  the  camp  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Just  what 
this  meant  or  how  much  it  implied,  neither 
was  able  to  conjecture. 

The  afternoon  sun  was  low  in  the  western 
sky.  As  Noel  glanced  behind  him  he  became 
aware  of  this  fact,  and  with  it  also  came  a  hope 
that  if  the  advancing  party  might  be  kept  off 
until  the  sun  had  set,  the  darkness  would  pro- 
vide a  shelter  under  which  he  and  his  com- 
panion might  be  able  to  retrace  their  way  to 
camp. 

"  They  're  stoppin',  lad ! "  whispered  Dennis 
excitedly. 

"  So  they  are,"  replied  Noel.  "  If  they  will 


THE  V  IN  THE  FENCE  39 

only  stay  there  we  may  be  able  to  get  away 
from  here  after  all." 

"  But  they  have  seen  us,"  protested  Den- 
nis. 

"I  know  it,"  answered  Noel.  "But  they 
may  not  be  able  to  see  us  now." 

"  There 's  one  thing,"  said  Dennis ;  "  they 
don't  know  how  many  there  are  here.  If  they 
have  seen  only  two,  it  may  be  they  think  we  're 
part  of  a  big  company.  We  '11  do  all  we  can 
to  lave  them  believe  that.  We  don't  want  any 
closer  acquaintance  with  any  of  thim  John- 
nies." 

It  was  manifest  that  the  party  had  halted 
in  the  road,  and  whether  or  not  there  was  any 
prospect  of  an  advance  was  something  which 
the  boys  could  not  determine. 

Behind  him  Noel  saw  that  the  field  sloped 
towards  some  woods  that  were  not  more  than 
one  hundred  yards  away. 

Once  within  the  shelter  of  the  trees,  safety 
for  a  time  at  least  might  be  secured,  but  in 
passing  across  the  open  field,  even  on  the 
slightly  sloping  ground,  they  would  be  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  the  men  in  the  road. 

Suddenly  Dennis  exclaimed,  "  Look  yon- 
der, me  boy !  Is  that  a  spade,  or  do  me  eyes 
deceive  me  ?  " 


40    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Glancing  quickly  at  the  corner  in  the  fence 
Noel  saw  a  spade  resting  upon  the  ground, 
where  it  plainly  had  been  abandoned  by  some 
one  who  had  been  repairing  the  fence. 

"Be  careful,  Dennis.  You'll  be  seen  if 
you  try  to  get  that." 

"  Niver  fear,  me  lad.  That  spade  is  worth 
its  weight  in  gold,  and  I  'm  the  boy  that  is 
goin'  to  try  for  it." 

Instantly  acting  upon  his  own  suggestion 
Dennis  crawled  slowly  through  the  grass  and 
stubble  and  carefully  attempted  to  gain  the 
implement. 

Noel  meanwhile  anxiously  watched  his 
friend,  fearful  every  moment  that  the  report 
of  guns  in  the  distance  would  be  heard.  His 
fears,  however,  were  relieved  when  in  a  few 
minutes  Dennis  returned  with  the  spade. 

"  There,  now  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  We  '11  be 
ready  for  the  Johnnies  in  a  jiffy.  Just  watch 
me!" 

It  was  marvelous  to  see  what  he  was  able 
to  accomplish  with  his  spade  and  still  without 
exposing  himself  to  the  possible  fire  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  not  moving  from  the  posi- 
tion where  they  had  halted  some  distance  up 
the  road. 

As  soon  as  a  slight  excavation  had  been 


THE  V  IN  THE  FENCE  41 

made,  both  Noel  and  Dennis  leaped  into  it. 
A  few  fence  rails  were  also  secured  and  piled 
upon  the  fence  in  front  of  them. 

"You  see  now,"  said  Dennis,  "  we're  ready 
for  almost  any  kind  of  an  attack." 

Noel  smiled,  though  he  made  no  reply.  The 
full  seriousness  of  the  peril  in  which  he  and  his 
companion  now  found  themselves  was  plain. 
They  were  confronted  by  a  band  which  had 
seen  them  scurrying  across  the  road,  and 
though  the  gray-clad  soldiers  had  halted  some 
distance  down  the  road  the  young  soldier  was 
aware  that  they  knew  of  the  presence  of  the 
two  boys  in  blue.  Why  they  had  not  advanced 
he  did  not  understand. 

He  was  afraid  to  make  the  attempt  to  gain 
the  woods  in  his  rear,  as  he  believed  his  ene- 
mies were  still  watchful  and  that  any  effort  to 
escape  would  meet  with  a  quick  fire. 

Meanwhile  Dennis  had  succeeded  in  dig- 
ging a  ditch  along  the  two  sides  of  the  V- 
shaped  rail  fence. 

"  There,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sigh  of  re- 
lief. "  That  will  keep  out  the  Johnnies,  I  'm 
thinkin'." 

"  Not  very  long,"  said  Noel  quickly. 

"But  they  don't  know  how  many  there  are 
of  us,"  declared  Dennis.  "  If  they  try  to  attack 


42    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

us  there  will  be  a  couple  of  thim  what  shurely 
will  nade  the  sarvices  of  the  surgeon." 

"  We  may  need  the  services  of  the  under- 
taker/' 

"Not  yet,  sor! "  said  Dennis  with  a  laugh. 

It  was  apparently  impossible  for  the  young- 
Irish  soldier  to  realize  the  seriousness  of  the 
position  in  which  he  and  his  comrade  now 
found  themselves. 

"  We  '11  wait  a  while,  anyway,"  said  Noel, 
"before  we  do  anything.  If  they  don't  at- 
tack us,  we  '11  not  make  any  trouble  for  them." 

"I'm  not  so  shure  o'  that,"  said  Dennis. 

"  We  won't  yet,  anyway,"  said  Noel  quietly, 
fearful  that  his  impulsive  friend,  if  the  attack 
should  be  delayed,  would  become  impatient 
and  with  difficulty  would  be  held  back  from 
firing  at  the  men  who  were  so  near. 

Glancing  again  at  the  band  of  Confederates, 
Noel  was  still  more  puzzled  by  their  inactiv- 
ity. Apparently  they  had  broken  ranks  and 
were  sitting  or  lying  about  on  the  ground 
near  the  road,  though  guards  had  been  sta- 
tioned in  front  and  rear. 

The  moments  dragged  slowly  on,  and  the 
confidence  of  Noel  that  an  attack  was  not 
to  be  made  upon  them  gradually  became 
stronger. 


THE  V  IN  THE  FENCE  43 

The  afternoon  sun  now  was  not  more  than 
a  half-hour  above  the  horizon.  If  they  should 
be  left  free  for  another  hour,  he  was  hopeful 
that  they  might  make  their  way  to  the  near-by 
woods  and  by  a  wide  detour  be  able  to  return 
to  the  camp  at  Harper's  Ferry. 

"  Shure ! "  said  Dennis,  after  a  few  more 
minutes  had  elapsed,  "  we  can't  lave  the  John- 
nies like  this." 

"You  had  better  let  sleeping  dogs  alone," 
warned  Noel. 

"  Shure,  an'  I  will  that,"  said  Dennis.  "  I  'm 
not  goin'  to  harm  any  one  of  thim.  They 
seem  to  me  to  be  aslape  and  I  want  to  give 
thim  somethin'  to  wake  'em  up." 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  "  demanded  Noel,  as 
his  companion  drew  an  empty  cartridge  from 
his  box  and  filled  it  with  powder  from  his  flask. 

"I'm  riggin'  up  somethin'  to  wake  up  thim 
boys,"  replied  Dennis  soberly. 

Noel  said  no  more  and  continued  to  watch 
his  companion,  who,  after  the  shell  had  been 
filled  with  powder,  adjusted  the  percussion 
cap  in  such  a  manner  that  it  was  placed  upon 
the  powder  and  within  the  covering. 

"  There 's  one  of  thim,"  exclaimed  Dennis, 
looking  with  pride  at  his  workmanship.  "  Now 
I  '11  make  another  one." 


44    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

A  second  "shot"  like  the  first  was  soon 
made,  and  then,  handing  one  to  Noel,  Dennis 
proceeded  very  carefully  to  place  his  own  in 
the  muzzle  of  his  gun. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  demanded 
Noel.  "That  isn't  much  more  than  a  blank 
cartridge  you  have  got  there." 

"  Niver  you  mind  that,"  said  Dennis  con- 
fidently.   "We'll  start  these  fellows  on  the 


run." 


"  It  depends  upon  which  way  they  run," 
again  said  Noel.  "  We  don't  want  them  com- 
ing in  our  direction." 

"  I  'm  not  so  shure  about  that,"  said  Den- 
nis, whose  respect  for  the  enemy  had  fallen 
because  of  the  long  silence  which  had  pre- 
vailed after  their  arrival.  "  I  'm  not  so  shure 
of  that,"  he  repeated.  "  'Most  anything  is  bet- 
ter than  nothing.  Now,  then,  Noel,"  he  ex- 
plained, "you  see  that  big  oak  tree  just  beyond 
the  place  where  the  Johnnies  are  lyin'?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Noel,  as  he  glanced  at  the 
huofe  tree  in  the  distance. 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  hit  it?" 

"  A  blind  man  could  do  that,"  said  Noel. 

"  Well,  then,  I  '11  fire  and  then  you  fire." 

"  At  the  tree  ?  "  demanded  Noel  in  surprise. 

"  That 's  it.  That 's  it,  exactly." 


THE  V  IN  THE   FENCE  45 

"What  good  will  that  do?  It  will  only  ex- 
pose us  and  our  shots  won't  do  any  damage." 
"  We  '11  see  about  that  in  a  minute  or  two/' 
laughed  Dennis.  "  When  these  strange  bal- 
lets of  ours  strike  the  tree  they  are  goin'  to 
make  that  percussion  cap  explode  and  then 
the  powder  will  go  off  and  there  will  be  a  big 
noise  right  behind  the  Johnnies.  They'll 
think  somebody  's  firm*  at  thim  from  the  other 
side." 

"  That 's  no  joke,  Dennis/'  said  Noel  posi- 
tively. "  If  we  do  what  you  say,  they  will 
think  they  are  being  attacked  on  the  other 
side,  and  if  they  retreat  they  will  come  straight 
toward  this  place  where  we  are  now." 

"  Shure,  but  they  won't  retreat,"  said  Den- 
nis. "  It 's  positive  I  am  that  they  will  be  put- 
tin'  straight  for  the  place  where  they  think 
these  guns  are  bein'  fired." 

"Then  that  will  give  us  a  chance  to  get 
away." 

"  Which  may  be  right,  my  boy." 
"  Yes,  I  am  right,"  said  Noel  hesitatingly. 
"  Although  I  confess  I  don't  like  your  scheme 
very  much." 

"We'll  not  fire  together,"  said  Dennis. 
"  I  '11  fire  first,  then  you  fire  directly  after  me. 
Be  sure  you  don't  miss  that  tree." 


46    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Dennis  raised  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  took 
careful  aim  and  fired.  After  a  brief  interval 
Noel  followed  his  example,  though  his  better 
judgment  still  protested  against  the  action  as 
perilous. 

True  to  the  aim  of  the  young  soldiers  the 
strange  shots  struck  the  tree  just  as  Dennis 
had  believed  they  would.  An  explosion  fol- 
lowed each  shot  that  was  so  loud  that  even 
the  report  of  the  guns  from  the  V  along  the 
line  of  the  rail  fence  sounded  feeble. 

In  a  moment  the  little  Confederate  band 
was  thrown  into  confusion,  as  the  men  hastily 
arose  and  glanced  in  consternation  first  up  the 
road  and  then  in  the  opposite  direction.  They 
had  heard  the  report  of  the  guns  of  the  two 
young  soldiers,  but,  as  Dennis  had  prophesied, 
the  louder  reports  had  come  after  the  caps  had 
been  exploded  when  the  great  oak  tree  had 
been  struck  by  the  strange  missiles. 

Eagerly  Noel  peered  between  the  rails  to  dis- 
cover in  which  direction  the  little  band  would 
start. 

The  consternation  and  confusion  appar- 
ently lasted  only  a  moment.  In  a  brief  time 
the  men  formed  and  at  the  word  of  their 
leader  started  hastily  up  the  road  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  hiding-place  of  Noel  and  Dennis. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  PLAN  OF  GENERAL  LEE 

In  order  to  understand  more  clearly  the  pre- 
dicament in  which  the  two  young  soldiers 
found  themselves  at  the  close  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  review 
briefly  the  events  which  led  up  to  that  time 
after  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  when  the 
Union  forces  again  were  defeated.  The  fail- 
ure of  General  Jackson  to  strike  the  troops  of 
General  Pope  on  their  line  of  retreat  had  en- 
abled the  latter  with  his  men  to  regain  the 
shelter  of  the  fortifications  at  Washington. 

Meanwhile  the  Confederate  commander, 
Lee,  gave  his  troops  rest  only  for  a  day.  As 
has  been  said,  he  was  aware  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  him  at  this  time  either  to  invest  or 
to  attack  the  lines  of  Washington.  In  spite 
of  his  success  he  was  convinced  that  only  two 
courses  of  action  were  open  to  him.  One  of 
these  was  to  remain  in  Virginia  and  try  to 
defend  the  capital  of  the  Confederate  States 
from  possible  attacks  by  his  enemies,  and  the 
other  plan  was  to  cross  the  Potomac  and  enter 


48    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Maryland.  There  he  might  strike,  or  at  least 
threaten  to  strike,  some  of  the  Northern  cities 
that  were  not  far  from  the  border,  and  pre- 
vent General  McClellan  from  carrying  out  his 
cherished  desire  to  attack  Richmond. 

Besides,  General  Lee  was  aware  that,  if  he 
merely  tried  to  defend  the  capital  of  the  rebel- 
lion, it  would  leave  his  enemy  with  full  power 
to  assume  the  offensive  and  make  attacks 
wherever  it  was  decided,  after  the  spirits  of 
his  army  had  been  restored  and  the  ranks  once 
more  had  been  filled. 

There  were  many  who  believed  that  General 
Lee  displayed  great  keenness  of  vision  when 
he  decided  to  enter  Maryland  with  his  army. 
Such  an  act  on  his  part  would  enable  the  dis- 
tressed farmers  of  the  South  to  gather  their 
crops  and  harvests.  Especially  was  this  true  in 
the  beautiful  and  fertile  Valley  of  the  Shen- 
andoah. 

In  addition  to  these  advantages,  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Confederate  army  in  Maryland 
would  bring  many  recruits,  it  was  believed, 
and  at  the  same  time  would  confuse  the  North- 
ern army  by  the  possibility  of  the  trouble 
that  might  be  created  there.  And  every  day 
of  delay  was  of  especial  advantage  to  the 
Confederates,  who  were  working  zealously  to 


THE  PLAN   OF  GENERAL  LEE         49 

erect  and  complete  the  fortifications  of  their 
capital. 

Another  thought  that  is  said  to  have  been 
in  the  mind  of  Lee  was  that  the  people  of  the 
North,  if  the  war  should  be  transferred  to  their 
territory,  would  thus  obtain  a  more  intimate 
knowledge  of  its  horrors,  and  this  personal 
experience  would  arouse  a  desire  to  bring  the 
contest  to  a  close.  Indeed,  it  is  said  that 
General  Lee  was  confident  at  this  time  that 
he  could  accomplish  the  end  of  the  struggle, 
which  now  had  been  fiercely  fought  for  nearly 
a  year  and  a  half. 

General  Lee's  first  plan  was  to  move  rapidly 
into  southern  Pennsylvania,  and  by  compel- 
ling his  enemies  to  follow  him,  as  he  was  con- 
fident they  would  do,  he  would  draw  them  so 
far  away  from  any  defenses  such  as  Pope  had 
recently  secured  in  Washington  after  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  that  if  he  should 
then  plan  for  a  battle  it  would  be  impossible 
for  McClellan's  troops  to  escape  surrender  as 
well  as  defeat.  So  confident  were  the  South- 
ern leaders  now  that  they  were  filled  with  the 
thought  that  if  the  desire  for  peace  could  be 
strengthened  in  the  North  by  a  battle  fought 
on  Northern  soil,  and  at  the  same  time  if  the 
powers  of  Europe  should  agree  to  secure  their 


50    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

cotton  from  the  Southland,  the  results  at  the 
same  time  would  put  added  pressure  upon  the 
Government  at  Washington  and  terminate 
the  bloody  struggle. 

Keen  as  was  the  plan  of  General  Lee,  he 
was  aware  that  his  army  was  in  no  condition 
for  an  enlarged  or  energetic  campaign.  No 
small  part  of  his  men,  as  they  marched  over 
the  sandy  soil,  were  leaving  bloody  marks  of 
their  bare  feet.  It  had  been  impossible  to 
provide  many  of  his  soldiers  with  shoes.  The 
provisions,  too,  were  not  sufficient,  and  in  the 
days  that  had  followed  the  battle  many  had 
been  suffering  from  disease.  As  a  consequence 
it  is  said,  by  those  who  are  competent  to  judge, 
that  not  more  than  fifty-five  thousand  men 
were  in  the  army  of  the  brilliant  Southern 
general  when  he  crossed  the  Potomac  River. 

Much  as  the  men  were  suffering,  the  animals 
of  the  camp  were  in  no  better  condition.  The 
horses  were  weakened  by  lack  of  food  and  by 
the  hardships  of  the  recent  days.  As  if  these 
facts  were  not  sufficient  to  make  the  general 
hesitate,  it  is  said  that  his  supplies  of  am- 
munition also  were  deficient,  and  that  he  was 
as  seriously  troubled  by  this  last  fact  as  by 
both  of  the  others  combined. 

But,  like  every  successful  man,  General  Lee 


THE  PLAN  OF  GENERAL  LEE         51 

decided  not  to  think  so  much  of  what  he  did 
not  have  as  of  what  he  did  have.  Whatever 
might  befall  his  attempt,  he  was  confident 
that  he  would  be  able  to  make  the  Northern 
armies  remain  so  long  and  so  far  from  the 
protection  of  their  defenses  that  he  could  draw 
out  the  campaign  and  there  would  be  no  fresh 
attempt  to  take  Richmond  before  the  follow- 
ing spring.  This  opportunity,  as  we  know, 
would  be  seized  by  the  defenders  of  Richmond 
to  strengthen  their  defenses. 

At  this  time  Lee  was  not  expecting  to  re- 
ceive any  reinforcements,  as  the  campaigns  in 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky  demanded  all  the 
men  that  could  be  spared. 

Between  the  4th  and  7th  of  September 
(1862)  the  Confederate  troops  were  crossing 
the  Potomac.  On  the  last-named  day  General 
Jackson  occupied  Frederick  city  and  speedily 
was  followed  by  another  division.  Then  the 
dashing  cavalry  of  Stuart  spread  out  in  the 
State  in  such  a  manner  that  most  of  the  at- 
tempts of  the  Union  generals  to  gain  infor- 
mation concerning  the  plans  of  their  enemies 
were  frustrated. 

Meanwhile,  as  we  know,  the  Federal  soldiers 
were  holding  three  fortified  places  in  or  near 
the  Shenandoah  Valley  which  was  the  chief 


52    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

reliance  of  General  Lee  for  his  supplies.  About 
eight  thousand  men  had  been  stationed  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  and  there  also  were  small  gar- 
risons at  Martinsburg  and  at  Winchester. 

As  has  been  said,  General  McClellan  urged 
General  Halleck  to  recall  these  men  and  attach 
them  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  This  is 
exactly  what  General  Lee  believed  would  be 
done,  because  it  was  what  he  himself  would 
have  decided  upon  if  he  had  been  in  his  oppo- 
nent's position. 

When  General  Halleck  decided  to  leave 
these  garrisons  in  the  Valley,  Lee  instantly 
decided  that  they  must  be  taken,  and  he  be- 
lieved also  that  they  could  be  captured  easily. 

It  was  essential  for  the  plans  he  had  formed 
that  his  own  communications  with  his  base  of 
supplies  should  not  be  threatened  by  such  a 
large  garrison  as  had  been  placed  in  Harper's 
Ferry. 

Acting  promptly,  as  he  usually  did,  General 
Lee  now  decided  to  divide  his  army  and  reunite 
the  divisions  west  of  the  mountains  before  a 
decisive  battle  could  be  fought. 

With  this  purpose  in  his  mind  the  commander 
of  the  Confederate  troops  issued  his  orders  on 
the  9th  of  September,  and  on  the  following 
day  General  Jackson,  in  command  of  three 


THE  PLAN  OF  GENERAL  LEE         53 

divisions,  after  he  had  crossed  the  mountains, 
was  to  ford  the  Potomac  at  some  place  west 
of  Harper's  Ferry  and  then  move  upon  the 
little  garrison  at  Martinsburg. 

His  companion,  General  McLaws,  with  two 
divisions  was  to  take  possession  of  the  heights 
which  overlooked  Harper's  Ferry  and  the  Po- 
tomac, while  another  division  under  General 
Walker  was  to  cross  the  Potomac  east  of  Har- 
per's Ferry,  and  secure  the  Loudon  Heights. 
This  last-named  position  would  enable  the  Con- 
federate soldiers  to  command  Harper's  Ferry 
from  the  east  bank  of  the  Shenandoah.  By 
this  plan  the  little  body  of  troops  in  Harper's 
Ferry  would  be  surrounded  and  absolutely 
cut  off  from  every  hope  of  escape  because 
General  Jackson,  just  as  soon  as  he  had  ob- 
tained possession  of  Martinsburg,  was  to  march 
swiftly  toward  Harper's  Ferry  and  block  every 
road  that  led  westward. 


CHAPTER  VI 

LONG   JOHN 

Startled  by  the  change  in  the  attitude  of 
the  band  of  Confederates,  Noel  in  a  loud  whis- 
per said  to  Dennis,  "  Come,  we  must  get  out 
of  this  right  away  ! " 

"  Not  yit,  sor,"  said  Dennis. 

"  But  we  must ! " 

"  Not  before  I  drop  one  of  the  Johnnies." 

"  Don't  do  that ! "  cried  Noel,  as  he  grasped 
the  barrel  of  his  companion's  gun.  "Don't 
do  it !  We  must  n't  let  them  know  any  more 
about  us  than  they  do  now.  We  've  got  to 
take  our  chances  and  run  down  the  hill  to  the 
woods !  I  don't  believe  they  will  follow  us  if 
we  once  can  get  inside  the  border.  It 's  going 
to  be  a  hard  chase  for  us,  though,  to  cover 
those  yards  ahead  of  us.  I  would  give  every 
dollar  I  own  if  I  was  only  there." 

"  Niver  you  fear  me,  lad.  '  Fortune  favors 
the  brave.'  Have  you  niver  heard  that?" 

"  I  have,"  answered  Noel,  as  he  glanced 
again  at  the  men  who  were  seen  in  the  dis- 
tance. "  The  sooner  we  start  the  better.  Come 
on,  Dennis ! " 


LONG  JOHN  55 

Acting  upon  his  own  suggestion,  the  young 
soldier  led  the  way,  and  crouching  low  ran 
swiftly  toward  the  shelter  of  the  woods.  His 
heart  seemed  to  be  beating  so  loudly  and 
rapidly  as  almost  to  interfere  with  his  efforts. 
He  was  afraid,  but  his  fear  only  served  to  in- 
crease his  speed. 

Part  of  the  distance  had  been  covered  be- 
fore the  flight  of  the  two  young  soldiers  was 
discovered  by  their  enemies.  At  the  sight 
there  was  a  loud  cry  which  served  to  increase 
the  speed  of  both  fugitives. 

"  Spread  out !  "  whispered  Dennis  hoarsely. 
"  Spread  out ! " 

Instantly  acting  upon  the  suggestion,  as 
far  as  it  was  possible  for  two  to  "  spread  out," 
Noel  ran  swiftly  toward  a  low  oak  tree,  which 
stood  on  the  border  of  the  woods,  while  his 
companion  with  equal  speed  was  striving  to 
gain  the  shelter  of  another  tree,  the  name  of 
which  Noel  did  not  know,  which  stood  con- 
spicuously about  twenty  yards  distant  from 
the  one  that  he  was  seeking. 

Before  the  boys  could  gain  the  shelter,  the 
report  of  guns  was  heard,  but  fortunately 
neither  of  the  young  soldiers  was  hurt. 

To  Noel  it  seemed  as  if  the  few  intervening 
yards  were  almost  endless.  His  feet  seemed 


56    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

to  be  held  back,  as  if  heavy  weights  were  at- 
tached to  them.  His  feeling  was  not  unlike 
that  which  he  had  experienced  when  he  had 
suffered  from  an  attack  of  nightmare. 

In  spite  of  these  things,  however,  both 
young  soldiers  were  making  excellent  time, 
and  in  a  brief  interval  successfully  gained  the 
refuge  they  were  so  eagerly  seeking. 

Instantly  dodging  behind  the  protecting 
tree,  Noel  peered  out  at  the  approaching  men. 
The  dusk  was  rapidly  deepening,  and  the  out- 
lines of  the  approaching  band  could  be  only 
indistinctly  seen. 

He  was  tempted  to  act  upon  the  suggestion 
which  Dennis  had  made  and  fire  at  his  ene- 
mies, but  his  fears  for  his  own  safety  were  so 
strong  that  he  hesitated.  In  a  brief  time  he 
decided  to  abandon  the  attempt,  in  order  not 
to  reveal  his  exact  hiding-place. 

Strong  in  the  hope  that  the  men  would  not 
venture  to  follow  within  the  woods,  Dennis 
crept  speedily  toward  the  tree  which  his  com- 
rade had  gained,  and  for  a  moment  was  star- 
tled when  he  beheld  a  man  also  approaching 
him.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  Noel,  and 
then,  acting  upon  a  common  impulse,  both 
turned  and  ran  farther  within  the  sheltering 
woods. 


LONG  JOHN  57 

As  they  advanced,  their  progress  became 
more  difficult.  The  ground  beneath  their  feet 
was  soft  and  yielding.  It  was  manifest  that 
they  were  approaching  a  swamp. 

Noel  wondered  if  his  enemies  were  aware 
of  the  character  of  the  land.  If  they  were  the 
pursuit  might  be  continued,  as  they  would 
be  certain  to  catch  the  fugitives  between  the 
swampy  ground  and  the  border  where  they 
had  entered. 

"  Here ! "  suddenly  called  Dennis ;  "  here  's 
a  road."  As  he  spoke  the  young  Irishman  ran 
swiftly  toward  what  seemed  to  be  a  road,  as 
he  had  said,  and  as  Noel  followed  him  he  soon 
discovered  that  Dennis  was  correct.  A  rough 
and  partly  decayed  corduroy  road  had  been 
made  years  before,  but  now  it  provided  no  very 
secure  footing.  Though  they  were  unaware 
where  the  road  might  lead,  both  entered  upon 
it  and  even  increased  the  speed  at  which  they 
were  running. 

Not  a  word  was  spoken  until  several  min- 
utes had  elapsed,  and  then  to  the  consterna- 
tion of  both,  a  man  was  seen  not  far  before 
them,  who  plainly  was  approaching. 

Abruptly  leaping  from  the  road  into  the 
swampy  ground  at  its  side  both  boys  strove 
to  hide  themselves  behind  the  protecting  vines 


58     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIKTAM 

and  trees.  Only  a  few  moments  had  passed, 
however,  before  they  were  aware  that  the  ap- 
proaching stranger  was  a  negro.  He  wai 
unusual  height  and  his  long  strides  were  in- 
dicative of  his  haste.  As  the  black  man  came 
still  nearer,  Noel  thought  he  never  had  seen 
a  taller  man.  In  the  dusk  his  long  figure  ap- 
peared to  rise  almost  to  the  lower  branches 
of  the  overhanging  trees. 

Lost  as  they  were,  or  at  least  ignorant  of 
the  region,  Noel  suddenly  decided  to  hail  the 
approaching  negro. 

"  Sambo,  is  that  you  ?  "  he  said  as  the  ne- 
gro came  opposite  the  place  where  he  was 
hiding. 

Instantly  the  negro  halted,  and  even  in  the 
dim  light  his  terror  was  manifest  to  the  young 
soldier. 

"  No,  sub  !  No,  sub!  I  isn't  Sambo.  Fee 
Long  John." 

"Is  there  anybody  with  you?" 

"  No,  suh !  No,  sub  !   I  'se  all  alone." 

Confident  that  he  might  rely  upon  the 
statement,  Noel  instantly  returned  to  the  cor- 
duroy road  and  approached  the  waiting  black 
man.  To  Noel  the  eyes  of  the  startled  negro 
seemed  almost  to  protrude  like  saucers.  For 
an  instant  it  was  plain  that  he  was  tempted 


■•  l>KY    >  \Y     \  O      IIAIi    HAWN8 


LONG  JOHN  59 

to  flee  from  the  spot,  but  as  he  glanced  be- 
hind him,  Noel  suspected  that  he  was  in 
greater  fear  of  what  threatened  from  that  di- 
rection than  he  was  at  the  discovery  of  the 
strangers  who  had  hailed  him. 

"  Who  's  yo'?  Who  is  yo'  all?"  he  asked, 
unable  to  prevent  his  teeth  from  chattering  as 
he  spoke. 

"  We  are  a  couple  of  Union  soldiers,  Long 
John ,  and  we  want  your  help." 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  Bress  de  Lor' !  I  'se 
heerd  a  heap  'bout  yo*  all.  Dey  say  yo'  hab 
hawns.  Ole  mass'  done  say  dat  yo'  be'rd  com* 
clar  down  to  heer."  As  he  spoke  the  negro 
placed  one  of  his  big  hands  upon  his  right  hip. 
"  Dey  shorely  is  so  feared  o'  yo*  dat  if  dey 
heer  yo'  name  er  hundred  miles  away,  dey 's 
scared  des'  de  same." 

In  his  dilemma  Noel  turned  once  more  to 
the  colored  man  and  hastily  said,  "  Where  are 
you  going?" 

"  Noware.  Noware,  suh." 

"  But  the  rebel  soldiers  are  ahead  of  you." 

"Dey's  mo'  o'  'em  behind  me,"  declared 
Long  John  promptly. 

"  Do  you  know  the  way  out  of  this  swamp  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  tall  negro  gazed  intently 
down  at  Noel.  In  spite  of  his  indifference, 


60    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  Ar  CTAM 

Long  John  was  possessed  of  n  lligence 

than  a  first  impression  warr;  [oel  was 

made  somewhat  uneasy  by  tl  tness  of 

the  negro's  inspection. 

Apparently  satisfied  by  w_  had  dis- 

covered in  his  own  way,  Long  John  said, 
"  Yas,  suh !  I  reckon  I  knows  dis  yeah 
swamp." 

"  Do  you  know  where  this  corduroy  road 
leads?"  Noel  inquired,  as  he  pointed  in  the 
direction  from  which  the  negro  had  come. 

"Yas,  suh!" 

"  How  long  is  it  ?  How  far  shall  we  have 
to  go  before  we  can  be  out  on  the  firm  road 
again  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  it 's  a  right  sma't  way,"  replied 
Long  John  slowly.  "And  if  dere's  some  ob 
the  rebel  sojers  up  ahead,  dere  's  certainly  mo' 
ob  dem  back  yonder,1 '  he  added,  nodding  his 
head  to  emphasize  the  strength  of  his  convic- 
tion as  he  spoke. 

"  Have  you  seen  any  ?  "  inquired  Noel,  as 
he  once  more  glanced  behind  him  to  discover 
whether  or  not  there  were  any  signs  of  con- 
tinued pursuit. 

"  Yas,  suh  !  I  'se  done  seen  some." 

"  How  many  are  there  ?  " 

"  I  recken  dere 's  a  right  sma't  lot  ob  dem." 


LONG  JOHN  61 

u  Are  tbey  infantry  or  cavalry  ?  " 

"Yas,  suh." 

M  Which  are  they  ?  n  demanded  Noel. 

"Dere's  some  sojers  on  horseback.  I  see 
Massa  Little  Ben  Fowler  — " 

"  Are  there  twenty  of  them  ? "  broke  in 
Noel  impatiently. 

"Yas,  suh." 

"  Where  are  they?" 

"Dey's  right  by  de  end  on  de  cord'roy 
road.  I  recken  dey  was  goin'  toe  follow  me, 
but  dey  all  des'  shouted  and  laughed.  Dey  say 
I  can  beat  de  Yanks  at  runnin\" 

"  Dennis,"  said  Noel,  turning  to  his  com- 
panion, "  don't  you  believe  that  these  men 
have  been  stationed  there  to  cut  off  anybody 
who  might  come  through  here  on  this  road?" 

"  That 's  it,  me  lad  !  Yis,  sor !  That 's  it," 
replied  Dennis. 

"  Then  we  can't  go  ahead  and  we  can't 
turn  back.  We  're  caught  right  here  between 
these  two  bodies.  What  can  we  do,  Dennis?" 

"  I  recken  I  know  what  yo'  all  '11  have  to 
do,"  spoke  up  Long  John  in  a  whisper,  as  he 
spoke  peering  intently  in  the  direction  from 
which  the  two  young  soldiers  had  recently 
come. 

Noel  glanced  in  the  direction  indicated  by 


62    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  negro  and  in  a  brief  time  he,  too,  was  con- 
vinced that  some  men  were  approaching.  Even 
Long  John  was  alarmed,  and  for  a  moment 
appeared  to  be  on  the  point  of  darting  into 
the  swamp. 


CHAPTER  VII 

CAUGHT 


Sharply  bidding  the  black  man  remain  where 
he  was  Noel  again  peered  into  the  road  be- 
hind him  and  listened  intently.  There  was  no 
disguising  the  fact  that  men  were  approach- 
ing. Doubtless  a  part  of  the  force  which  had 
been  stationed  in  the  road  were  aware  of  the 
corduroy  way  and  had  ventured  to  follow  the 
fugitives,  confident  that  they  could  find  no 
escape  from  the  place. 

The  venture  on  the  part  of  the  Confederate 
soldiers  was  one  that  tested  their  courage. 
The  darkness  had  deepened,  and  it  was  well- 
nigh  impossible  to  distinguish  the  body  of  a 
motionless  man  from  the  trunk  of  one  of  the 
near-by  trees.  There  were  strange  noises  in  the 
swamp,  too.  There  was  the  flapping  of  un- 
seen wings  and  the  scurrying  and  calls  of 
unseen  birds,  but  in  spite  of  all  these  things 
there  was  no  doubt  now  in  the  mind  of  Noel 
Curtis  that  some  men  were  approaching  from 
the  rear. 

"Dat's   de  only  way,"   whispered   Long 


64    THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT  ANTIETAM 

John  excitedly.  "  Dere  's  no  oder  way  outen 
de  swamp.  We  des'  got  toe  go  back.  Maybe 
Massa  Little  Ben  Fowler  is  n't  dere  any  mo' 
now." 

Influenced  by  the  positive  manner  of  the 
grotesque  negro,  without  a  protest  both  Noel 
and  Dennis  followed  him  as  he  led  the  way  in 
the  direction  from  which  he  himself  recently 
had  come. 

Striving  to  move  noiselessly,  at  the  same 
time  the  young  soldiers  did  their  utmost  to 
advance  rapidly.  Occasionally  some  decayed 
log  broke  under  their  feet,  but  there  was  no 
other  sound  to  reveal  their  presence. 

Kepeatedly  the  three  fugitives  glanced  be- 
hind them,  and  then  fearful  of  what  might  be 
before  them  glanced  frequently  in  that  direc- 
tion. Long  John  was  the  only  member  of  the 
band  who  apparently  was  unmoved  by  the  ex- 
citement, a  fact  which  was  difficult  for  Noel 
to  understand,  inasmuch  as  when  first  he  had 
seen  the  tall,  awkward  slave,  it  was  the  terror 
of  the  black  man  at  his  unexpected  presence 
that  had  most  impressed  him.  The  flight  had 
continued  not  more  than  ten  minutes  before 
the  young  soldiers  arrived  at  the  end  of  the 
road. 

"  There 's  somebody  here,"  whispered  Noel, 


CAUGHT  65 

as  he  grasped  Dennis  by  the  arm  and  all  three 
fugitives  halted. 

"  Yis,  sor,  that 's  true  for  shure,"  replied 
Dennis  in  a  whisper  so  loud  that  Noel  warn- 
ingly  again  grasped  his  arm. 

It  was  too  dark  to  enable  the  boys  to  deter- 
mine just  how  many  were  in  the  waiting  band. 
It  was  believed,  however,  that  there  were  at 
least  twenty.  Perhaps  there  was  another  little 
force  also  approaching.  The  two  boys  in  blue 
were  caught  between  the  two  bands,  and  their 
only  way  of  escape  was  through  the  swamp. 
A  hasty  inspection,  however,  convinced  both 
boys  that  escape  in  that  way  was  impossible. 
Even  in  the  dim  light  they  were  able  to  see 
the  water  which  covered  the  soft  ground,  and 
it  was  plain  that  if  either  of  them  should  step 
upon  the  perilous  footing  he  might  be  in 
greater  danger  than  he  would  be  compelled 
to  face  if  he  should  be  caught  between  the 
two  little  bands  of  their  enemies. 

Abruptly  the  lanky  negro  broke  in  upon 
the  silence  by  calling  loudly,  "  Is  dat  yo', 
Massa  Little  Ben  Fowler?" 

There  was  silence  for  a  moment,  and  then 
the  reply  came  from  some  one  whom  the  boys 
could  not  distinguish  from  the  body  of  the 
men.  "  Is  that  yo'  all,  Long  John  ?  " 


66    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Yas,  suh.  Yas,  suh." 

"  Are  yo'  alone  ?  " 

"  No,  suh.  No,  suh.  Dere  's  two  gen'lmen 
with  me." 

"  Bring  them  out." 

"  Yas,  suh.  Yas,  suh,"  repeated  Long  John, 
though  he  made  his  way  so  speedily  to  the 
more  solid  road  that  under  other  circum- 
stances Noel  might  have  laughed. 

As  it  was,  however,  both  boys  were  aware, 
or  at  least  they  now  suspected,  that  the  negro 
had  been  sent  out  by  the  rebels  either  to  gain 
information  or  to  serve  as  a  decoy  for  any  of 
the  straggling  soldiers. 

There  was,  however,  apparently  no  way  of 
escape.  In  front  of  them  was  the  band  of  which 
Little  Ben  Fowler  undoubtedly  was  a  member ; 
while  from  behind  was  approaching  part  of 
the  force  which  had  followed  them  into  the 
swamp  after  the  two  young  soldiers  had  gained 
the  corduroy  road. 

Noel  heard  a  smothered  exclamation  of 
anger  from  Dennis  and  he  knew  that  the  feel- 
ing of  his  companion  was  not  unlike  his  own. 
However,  it  was  impossible  now,  after  the  loud 
warning  which  Long  John  had  given,  for  them 
to  expect  to  escape. 

Suddenly  some  one  called  to  them  from  the 


CAUGHT  67 

border  of  the  swamp,  "Come  out  of  there, 
Yanks !  There  is  n't  any  use  in  trying  to  get 
away.  The  corduroy  is  the  only  safe  spot 
you  '11  find  on  either  side  of  the  road ;  so  come 
out  and  give  yourselves  up." 

"  All  right,"  responded  Noel,  although,  as 
he  spoke,  Dennis  grasped  him  roughly  by  the 
shoulder  as  if  he  was  protesting  against  the 
surrender. 

"  You  keep  still,  Dennis,"  whispered  Noel  to 
his  companion.  "  You  leave  this  to  me  and  I  '11 
see  what  can  be  done.  We  can't  get  away,  and 
we  might  as  well  make  the  best  of  a  bad  bar- 
gain. We  're  coming,"  he  again  called  aloud. 

"  Don't  try  any  of  your  Yankee  tricks  here," 
called  the  voice  which  had  spoken  before. 

Noel  made  no  response,  and  in  silence  the 
two  young  soldiers  advanced  and  in  a  brief 
time  found  themselves  in  the  presence  of  a 
score  of  men.  They  saw  that  every  one  was 
clad  in  uniform,  but  it  was  impossible  at  first 
to  determine  to  which  side  the  men  belonged. 
However,  Noel  was  convinced  that  the  words 
of  Long  John  had  explained  who  the  men 
were,  and  in  spite  of  the  treachery  of  the  negro 
he  at  once  decided  that  he  and  Dennis  must 
give  themselves  up. 

"  Who  are  you,  Yanks?"  demanded  a  man, 


68    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

speaking  in  a  voice  which  the  boys  recognized 
as  the  one  by  which  they  had  been  addressed 
before.  "  Step  up  yere  and  give  an  account 
of  yo'selves." 

Obediently,  Noel  and  Dennis  advanced,  and 
even  in  the  dim  light  they  were  able  to  see 
that  the  man  who  addressed  them  wore  the 
uniform  of  an  officer. 

"  We  are  two  boys  who  belong  to  one  of 
the  New  York  regiments." 

"  Glad  to  see  you,"  said  the  young  officer 
laughingly.  "  I  wish  you  were  back  home 
where  y o  u  belong,  but  as  you  're  down  here,  I  'm 
glad  you  met  us.  We  '11  see  that  you  go  with 
the  rest  of  the  Yanks,  and  that  you  don't  do 
any  more  damage  to  our  country.  I  'm  sur- 
prised the  Yankee  soldiers  don't  fight  better." 

The  tone  in  which  the  officer  spoke  was 
almost  bantering.  Noel's  anger  was  aroused, 
but  by  an  effort  he  restrained  himself  and  said 
in  a  low  voice, "  You  talk  very  bravely  !  You'll 
get  over  your  surprise  pretty  soon." 

"  It  will  have  to  be  'pretty  soon,'  I  reckon," 
said  the  officer  good-naturedly.  "  The  Yanks 
have  been  running  so  fast  and  so  far  that  they 
have  n't  gotten  their  breath  yet.  About  all  we 
have  to  do  nowadays  is  to  chase  the  Yankee 
soldiers.    They  didn't  make  a  stand  at  Ma- 


CAUGHT  69 

nassas  either  time.  They  ran  from  General 
Lee  oa  the  Peninsula,  and  now,  though  they 
have  been  running  after  him  up  here,  they 
will  dodge  and  run  in  the  other  direction  the 
minute  he  turns  around." 

Noel  Curtis  was  unable  to  reply  to  the  ban- 
tering of  his  captor.  It  was  true  that  thus  far 
in  the  struggle  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had 
not  covered  itself  with  glory.  In  Tennessee  and 
Kentucky,  too,  at  the  time,  the  Federal  forces 
were  meeting  with  disaster  after  disaster,  and 
to  many  of  the  faint-hearted  supporters  of  the 
North  it  seemed  almost  as  if  the  end  had  come. 

"  We  sure  are  going  to  march  straight  to 
Philadelphia,  and  then  you  won't  be  able  to 
stop  us  before  we  get  into  New  York  and 
Boston.  If  we  ever  get  inside  Boston,  we  '11 
show  some  of  those  fellows  a  trick  or  two  that 
will  teach  them  some  things  they  don't  know 
now.  If  it  had  n't  been  for  that  city  I  don't 
believe  there  would  have  been  any  war." 

"  You  don't  ? "  demanded  Noel,  and  in 
spite  of  his  predicament,  he  was  interested  in 
what  the  young  officer  was  saying. 

"No,  sir!  No,  sir!  There  certainly  would 
not  have  been  any  war.  The  trouble  was  that 
Boston  thought  she  not  only  could  attend  to 
her  own  business,  but  that  she  could  direct  the 


70    THE   SHARPSHOOTEB  AT  ANTIETAM 

business  of  all  the  rest  of  us.  It 's  a  great 
thing,  my  son,  for  a  man  or  for  a  city  to  be 
able  to  mind  its  own  business.  That 's  what  I 
say ;  the  cocksureness  of  the  Yanks  is  so  great 
that  they  think  they  can  tell  all  the  rest  of  the 
world  how  to  act." 

Noel  was  listening  only  in  part  to  the  words 
of  the  leader  of  the  little  band,  from  which 
already  wild  thoughts  of  escaping  had  pre- 
sented themselves. 

As  neither  of  the  young  soldiers  had  been 
asked  to  give  up  his  gun,  there  wTere  thoughts 
in  Noel's  mind  of  suddenly  darting  to  one  side 
of  the  road  and  trying  to  flee  before  the  men 
were  aware  of  his  attempt.  But  the  folly  of 
such  an  effort  was  so  marked  that  Noel  aban- 
doned every  such  suggestion. 

"  You  '11  come  with  us,"  said  the  young 
officer  at  last,  his  voice  still  not  unfriendly. 

Under  other  circumstances  Noel  knew  that 
he  would  have  been  strongly  attracted  to  the 
young  officer,  whom  Long  John  had  called 
"Massa  Little  Ben  Fowler." 

That  officer  now  turned  to  three  of  his  men, 
and  in  a  voice  so  low  that  Noel  was  unable  to 
hear  what  was  said  gave  them  instructions  as 
to  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  prisoners. 
Then,  turning  once  more  to  the  young- soldiers. 


CAUGHT  71 

the  leader  said,  "  We  '11  have  to  have  yo'  guns, 
Yanks.  Yo*  all  are  our  prisoners,  yo'  know, 
and  I  cannot  permit  yo'  to  retain  yo'  weapons. 
Yo*  '11  follow  these  men,"  he  added,  indicating 
the  three  who  had  been  detailed  for  the  duty, 
"and  they'll  takeyo'  where  yo'  all  will  be  safe 
for  the  night,  anyway.  The  rest  of  us  will  stay 
right  yere  by  the  corduroy  road  and  see  if  we 
can't  catch  some  more  Yanks  in  our  trap." 

Without  a  word  Noel  and  Dennis,  obedi- 
ently giving  up  their  rifles,  turned  and  fol- 
lowed the  men  who  had  been  detailed  to 
conduct  them  to  what  the  young  officer  had 
described  as  a  "  place  of  safety." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

UNDER    GUARD 

Directly  back  to  the  road  over  which  the 
young  soldiers  had  come  their  conductors  led 
the  way.  Both  Noel  and  Dennis  were  silent, 
and  the  disappointment  which  had  seized  upon 
the  young  Irishman  was  so  manifest  that  even 
in  the  dim  light  Noel  was  aware  of  the  de- 
pression of  his  comrade. 

Deprived  of  their  weapons  and  conducted 
by  three  armed  men,  there  was  no  chance 
likely  to  be  given  for  escape,  although  wild 
thoughts  of  trying  to  break  away  were  still 
in  the  mind  of  each  of  the  prisoners. 

Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  their  guard 
until  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  had  been 
covered,  when  one  of  the  Confederates  halt- 
ing, said  to  the  boys,  "  We  '11  turn  in  here." 

As  he  spoke  he  pushed  some  bushes  apart, 
and  in  a  brief  time  Noel  was  able  to  see  that 
a  corduroy  path,  or  roadway,  narrower  than 
the  one  over  which  they  recently  had  come 
was  before  him.  One  of  the  guards  now  ad- 
vanced, while  the  other  two  took  a  position 


UNDER  GUARD  73 

in  the  rear,  and  as  soon  as  the  directions  were 
given  the  entire  band  began  to  make  its  way 
over  the  rough  pathway. 

Once  more  silence  returned,  not  to  be 
broken  until  what  Noel  assumed  must  have 
been  a  half-mile  had  been  covered  and  again 
they  were  approaching  more  solid  ground. 

A  rough  stretch  of  land  lay  before  them, 
which  was  without  trees  and  apparently  with- 
out a  roadway.  Without  hesitation  their  con- 
ductors at  once  led  the  boys  across  the  inter- 
vening sandy  stretch  and  soon  arrived  at  a 
low  house,  whose  walls  gleamed  almost  ghostly 
in  the  moonlight.  Whitewash  had  been  ap- 
plied to  the  exterior  of  the  rude  building  and 
also  had  been  used  upon  the  farm  buildings 
and  the  fences  that  inclosed  them. 

Advancing  to  the  low,  covered  piazza,  which 
extended  across  the  entire  front  of  the  house, 
the  approach  of  the  band  was  speedily  dis- 
covered by  the  inmates,  and  in  a  moment  a 
dozen  or  more  soldiers  came  running  out  of 
the  building. 

Noel  was  able  to  see  that  every  one  was 
clad  in  the  Confederate  uniform  and  also  was 
armed.  At  first  the  house  seemed  too  small 
to  contain  so  many  men,  but  when  several 
more  emerged  from  the  interior  he  suspected 


74    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

that  there  might  be  accommodations  in  the 
little  building  which  did  not  appear  upon  the 
surface. 

"  Here  we  are,  Captain  !  "  called  one  of 
the  leaders.  "  We  've  got  two." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.  But  we  '11  soon  have  more. 
We  've  got  a  trap  down  in  the  Hedge  Swamp 
road.  It's  the  only  way  the  men  can  get 
through  the  swamp,  and  we  have  stationed  a 
few  of  the  cavalry  at  the  farther  end.  Some 
of  the  boys  are  on  the  watch  on  the  other 
side  of  the  swamp,  and  are  doing  their  best 
to  drive  what  Yankees  there  may  be  hiding 
anywhere  around  here  on  to  the  corduroy  road 
and  then  they  feel  safe  to  leave  them.  The 
poor  fools  keep  right  on  the  road  and  run  di- 
rectly into  the  trap  Lieutenant  Fowler  set  fo' 
them.  He  is  waiting  there  with  about  twenty 

men." 

"  Is  this  the  first  batch  you  have  taken  ?  " 
"Yes,  sir.   We  have  sent  out  Long  John 
to  help  draw  the  Yankees  into  the  trap." 

The  Confederate  officer  was  unaware  of  the 
gleam  which  appeared  for  a  moment  in  the 
eyes  of  Dennis,  and  he  said  lightly,  "  We  '11 
be  ready  for  all  you  can  bring  us,  Tom.  We  '11 
put  these  two  fellows  in  the  pen  until  we  have 


UNDER  GUARD  75 

enough  to  make  it  worth  while  to  send  them 
on  to  Libby." 

As  he  heard  the  name  of  the  well-known 
prison  in  Richmond,  Noel's  heart  was  heavy. 
Stories  were  current  of  the  sufferings  of  the 
Union  prisoners  who  had  been  confined  in 
the  famous  old  warehouse,  which  had  been 
transformed  early  in  the  war  into  a  prison  for 
the  Northern  soldiers.  There  had  come  many 
a  tale  of  daring  attempts  to  escape  as  well  as 
of  the  almost  indescribable  sufferings  of  its 
inmates.  Perhaps  it  was  all  a  part  of  the 
struggle,  and  yet  with  the  bitterness  of  the 
time  so  keen,  few  were  in  a  condition  to  look 
with  calmness  upon  the  sufferings  of  the  pris- 
oners of  either  side  in  the  struggle. 

To  be  sent  to  Libby  Prison  !  For  a  moment 
Noel's  thoughts  ran  back  to  his  home  on  the 
banks  of  the  far-away  St.  Lawrence.  He  could 
see  the  little  house  sheltered  by  the  overhang- 
ing maples.  There  were  the  red  barns  just  be- 
yond, and  for  an  instant  Noel  seemed  to  catch 
a  glimpse  of  the  line  of  cattle  slowly  moving 
up  the  lane  toward  the  barnyard.  In  the  dis- 
tance occasional  glimpses  of  the  waters  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  gleaming  in  the  light  of  the 
afternoon  sun,  were  had.  His  mother  was 
moving  quietly  about  the  kitchen  preparing 


76    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  evening  meal.  Frank  was  lying  as  he  was, 
when  he  had  last  seen  him,  on  the  couch  in 
the  room  where  his  mother  was  busy.  His 
father,  perhaps,  was  singing  at  his  task  as 
he  milked  the  cows.  Even  the  thought  of  the 
stirring  words  and  tunes  which  his  father  best 
loved  to  sing  failed  now  to  find  any  response 
in  the  mind  of  Noel.  It  was  one  thing  to  sing 
of  the  glory  of  war,  but  it  was  another  and  far 
different  thing  to  be  held  as  a  prisoner  in  south- 
ern Maryland  and  to  be  threatened  with  con- 
finement in  the  old  prison-house  at  Richmond. 

However,  there  was  no  possibility  of  evad- 
ing, at  least  for  the  present,  the  problem  which 
must  be  confronted.  Soon  both  Noel  and 
Dennis  were  searched  and  every  loose  posses- 
sion was  taken  from  them,  to  be  held  until 
such  a  time  as  the  war  should  cease  or  the 
prisoners  should  be  exchanged.  There  was  an- 
other alternative  in  the  thoughts  of  Noel,  but 
he  did  not  refer  to  it.  What  that  was  became 
manifest  after  several  days  had  elapsed. 

As  Noel  now  glanced  about  him  he  was 
able  to  discover  that  very  few  negroes  were 
in  the  house.  He  was  eager  to  discover  the 
presence  of  Long  John,  but  he  soon  concluded 
that  the  treacherous  black  man  had  retraced 
his  way  over  the  corduroy  road,  and  doubtless 


UNDER  GUARD  77 

now  was  trying  to  lead  some  others  of  the 
unfortunate  Union  soldiers  into  the  same  trap 
in  which  he  and  Dennis  had  been  caught. 

A  half- hour  after  they  had  entered  the 
house,  Noel  and  Dennis  were  conducted  to  a 
room  on  the  first  floor  and  thrust  into  it.  The 
evening  was  warm  and  the  door  was  left  open, 
but  the  guard  was  stationed  directly  in  front 
of  it,  so  that  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
prisoners  to  escape  would  be  instantly  known. 

Noel  looked  cautiously  out  of  the  window 
in  the  room,  and  was  aware  that  a  full  guard 
had  been  established  to  patrol  the  place.  At 
least  four  of  the  Confederate  soldiers  were  as- 
signed to  this  task,  and  each  one  was  respon- 
sible for  only  one  side  of  the  house. 

The  guard  that  was  inside  and  had  charge 
of  the  door  was  good-natured  and  looked  at 
his  Yankee  prisoners  with  undisguised  inter- 
est. It  was  plain  that  he  did  not  have  any 
fear  of  the  young  prisoners  attempting  to  es- 
cape. Such  an  effort  would  be  worse  than 
useless,  for  at  least  twenty  men  were  in  the 
band,  and  the  prisoners  themselves  now  were 
unarmed. 

"  Whar  yo'  from  ?  "  inquired  the  guard. 

"  From  New  York  State,"  answered  Noel 
quietly. 


78    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"I  always  heard  that  was  a  right  sma't 
State.  How  many  Yanks  might  there  be  in 
it?" 

"  Enough  to  put  an  end  to  this  war  if  they 
all  would  turn  out/'  said  Noel. 

"  That  can't  be  so,  sir/'  said  the  guard  sol- 
emnly. 

Noel  in  the  dim  light  looked  more  closely 
at  the  soldier.  He  was  more  than  usually  stout 
and  his  good  nature  was  apparent,  not  only 
in  the  tones  of  his  voice,  but  in  the  friendly 
way  in  which  he  regarded  his  charges. 

"  Daggone !  I  don't  believe  the  Yanks  can 
fight,  and  yet  I  saw  one  the  other  day  who 
was  a  great  sight  and  had  all  gone  to  pieces." 

"Who  was  he?  What  about  him?"  in- 
quired Noel,  aware  that  he  was  expected  to 
follow  up  the  implied  question  of  the  good- 
natured  guard. 

"  Why,  he  had  lost  one  hand ;  one  leg  had 
been  shot  away ;  he  had  only  one  eye ;  he  had 
broken  some  bones,  and  a  part  of  his  liver 
had  been  cut  out  of  him,  and  yet  he  was  ready 
to  fight  to  the  last." 

"  I  should  n't  think  he  would  know  who 
he  was,"  said  Dennis.  "  Faith  !  An'  ye  say  he 
had  only  one  arm,  one  leg,  one  eye  ?  An'  how 
about  his  ears  ?  " 


UNDER  GUARD  79 

"They  were  both  all  right,"  replied  the 
guard.  "  His  nose  looked,  though,  as  if  he 
dragged  it  along  the  ground." 

"  How  did  it  all  happen  ?  "  inquired  Noel. 

"  Why,  he  had  been  in  two  battles,  and  the 
surgeons  had  been  at  work  at  him.  What  our 
men  did  not  do  the  surgeons  thought  they 
would  finish.  The  poor  chap  had  to  leave  the 
army,  but  he  was  game  all  the  way  through. 
What  do  you  suppose  will  happen  to  him  in 
the  Resurrection  ?  " 

"  I  have  n't  looked  quite  as  far  ahead  as 
that,"  said  Noel. 

"  'T  is  strange,"  broke  in  Dennis,  "  how 
much  a  man  can  lose  of  himself,  and  still  be 
the  same  man.  Faith  !  I  would  n't  know,  if  I 
lost  me  arm  and  me  leg  and  me  head  and  me 
eyes,  whether  I  was  Dennis  O'Hara  or  some- 
body else." 

"  The  fellow  was  game  all  through,  as  I 
said,"  continued  the  guard.  "I'm  a  sharp- 
shooter," he  added  abruptly. 

"Are  you?  "  inquired  Noel  quickly,  though 
he  endeavored  to  conceal  his  interest  in  the 
simple  statement.  Did  the  man  know  anything 
concerning  the  skill  of  Dennis  and  himself 
with  the  rifle?  His  gun,  of  which  Noel  had 
been  exceedingly  proud,  had  been  taken  from 


80    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

him.  Whether  or  not  the  guard  had  any  sus- 
picions concerning  his  skill,  the  fact  remained 
that  without  any  kind  of  a  weapon  those  sus- 
picions mattered  little. 

"  Yes,"  continued  the  guard.  "  I  was  in  the 
pit  firing  at  some  Yanks  over  there  on  the 
Peninsula  one  time  last  June.  There  was  a 
fellow  firing  away  at  me,  and  he  was  so  good 
that  he  made  me  keep  out  of  sight,  too,  most 
of  the  time.  I  thought  I  had  him  at  the  same 
minute  when  he  thought  he  had  me.  We  fired 
at  the  same  time,  and  what  do  you  think  hap- 
pened ?  " 

"  You  both  missed  ?  "  suggested  Dennis. 

"  No,  we  did  n't ;  at  least  both  of  us  did  n't 
miss.  The  strangest  thing  happened." 

"  What  was  it  ?  "  inquired  Noel,  apparently 
still  more  eagerly. 

"  Why,  would  you  believe  it  ? "  said  the 
soldier,  "the  bullet  of  that  Yankee  sharp- 
shooter had  gone  right  down  the  muzzle  of 
my  gun.  It  struck  perfectly  square  and  went 
into  the  muzzle  the  whole  length  of  it." 

"  And  did  your  bullet  do  the  same  thing 
with  his  rifle?"  inquired  Dennis  sol  ^Iv. 

"I  don't  know.  I  never  have  hea  1 

not  know   but   that  you  might   hi  d 

something  about  the  affair  and  con  >e 


UNDER  GUARD  81 

what  happened  to  that  Yank.  Were  you  ever 
down  on  the  Peninsula  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sor,"  said  Dennis  promptly. 

"  Maybe  you  were  down  there  helping 
McClellan  get  away  as  fast  as  his  legs  could 
carry  him.  You  made  good  time ! "  laughed 
the  guard. 

"  Faith,  and  we  did,"  said  Dennis,  "  but 
not  as  good  as  we  might  have  made  if  the 
Johnnies  had  followed  us  up.  They  were  so 
afraid  that  we  would  turn  on  them  and  take 
their  little  tin  capital  away  from  them  that 
they  ran  as  fast  as  they  could  go  back  to 
Richmond." 

"  We  were  n't  running  in  that  direction," 
said  the  soldier,  unmoved  by  the  bantering 
of  Dennis.  "Don't  forget  about  Manassas. 
And  now  we  have  all  yo'  Yanks  bottled  up 
right  here  in  Maryland." 

"  How  's  that  ?  "  asked  Noel. 

"  Why,  we  '11  soon  have  the  garrisons  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  Martinsburg,  and  every  other 
body  except  McClellan's  army,  and  we  have 
thrown  out  Stuart's  cavalry  so  that  there 
won't  be  a  Yank  able  to  get  through  either 
way.  It  won't  do  him  any  good  even  to 
try." 

"  Wait  a  little  while  before  you  say  that," 


82    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

suggested  Noel,  aware  that  Dermis  was  pull- 
ing him  by  his  sleeve. 

"  Whist/'  whispered  Dennis  in  one  of  his 
most  penetrating  tones.  "  Don't  talk  any  more 
with  the  Johnnie.  I  have  something  to  say  to 
ye  that  is  of  a  good  deal  more  importance." 

"  I  'm  not  interested/'  replied  Noel.  "  I 
have  n't  had  any  supper,  and  I  'm  hungry, 
and  I  want  to  sleep.  Are  we  going  to  be  fed 
here?"  he  asked,  turning  to  the  guard. 

"  I  reckon  you  will  be.  When  I  am  re- 
lieved I  '11  see  what  can  be  done." 

Conversation  for  a  time  ceased  between  the 
prisoners  and  their  guard,  but  the  excitement 
of  Dennis  was  not  to  be  repressed. 

When  at  last  he  had  induced  his  compan- 
ion to  withdraw  from  the  door,  he  drew  him 
into  one  corner  of  the  room  and  renewed  his 
whispering.  At  his  companion's  request  his 
voice  at  last  was  lowered  so  that  the  guard 
was  unable  to  hear  what  was  said,  and  then, 
in  spite  of  his  weariness,  in  a  moment  Noel 
was  eagerly  listening  to  what  the  young  sol- 
dier was  telling  him. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE    PLOT 

"  Whist  !  "  said  Dennis.  "  I  'm  tellin,  ye,  lad, 
we  must  get  out  o'  this  place." 

"  That 's  very  easy  to  say." 

"  Faith,  and  it 's  almost  as  aisy  to  do." 

"  Don't  talk  so  loud,  Dennis." 

"  'T  is  only  whispering  I  am." 

"  Yes,  but  you  're  whispering  like  a  steam- 
engine  letting  off  steam." 

In  the  dim  light  the  actions  of  the  young 
soldiers  were  not  clearly  seen  by  the  good- 
natured  guard.  In  spite  of  the  easy-going 
manner  of  the  Confederate  in  charge  of  them, 
Noel  was  aware  that  the  utmost  care  must  be 
used.  The  man  himself  had  said  that  he  was 
one  of  the  sharpshooters,  and  that  he  would 
quickly  act  if  an  attempt  to  break  away  was 
made,  he  had  no  doubt. 

"  'T  is  silent  entirely  I  am,"  said  Dennis, 
for  a  moment  dropping  his  voice  lower.  "But 
have  you  noticed  what  there  is  in  the  wall 
above  us?" 

"No,"  replied  Noel.  "What  is  it?" 

As  he  spoke  he  looked  quickly  in  the  direc- 


84    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

tion  indicated  by  his  companion,  but  his  action 
was  abruptly  ended  when  Dennis  roughly 
seized  him  by  the  shoulder  and  said  almost 
savagely, "  What  are  you  doin',  lad  ?  Don't  look 
there,  whatever  else  you  do  !  Kape  your  eyes 
on  the  floor.  Now,  listen  to  what  I  am  sayin' 
to  ye.  In  the  ceilin'  there  's  a  small  slide, 
leastwise  I  think  it 's  a  slide,  though  I  'm  not 
sure.  It  may  be  a  trapdoor  that  will  lift  up 
or  somethin'  of  that  kind." 

"Yes  !  Yes  !  Go  on,"  said  Noel  eagerly,  as 
his  companion  stopped  a  moment. 

"  Me  own  thought,"  continued  Dennis, 
after  he  was  satisfied  that  the  two  prisoners 
were  not  observed  by  their  guard,  "  is  that  it 
won't  be  long  before  we  '11  have  a  chance  to 
go  up  into  that  loft.  We  '11  push  back  the 
door,  or  the  slide,  or  whatever  it  is,  and  if  we 
can  do  that  without  makin'  any  disturbance, 
we  '11  drop  it  back  into  place  and  hold  it  so 
that  nobody  can  get  up  there.  Probably  they 
won't  think  we  have  gone  up  above,  anyway." 
Dennis  laughed  lightly  as  he  spoke. 

"  Just  where  is  that  door,  Dennis  ? "  in- 
quired Noel. 

"  Shure,  and  it 's  right  above  your  head." 

"How  are  we  going  to  get  through  it?  I 
mean  how  will  you  open  it?" 


THE  PLOT  85 

"  That  remains  to  be  seen,"  answered  Den- 
nis, "  but  it 's  shure  lam  that  it  will  be  aisy." 

"  But  how  will  you  do  it  ?  "  demanded  Noel 
once  more. 

"When  the  time  comes,"  said  Dennis,  "I  '11 
inform  you,  but  for  a  spell  we  '11  have  to  be  care- 
ful not  to  wake  the  suspicions  of  the  guard." 

Walking  abruptly  from  his  companion, 
Dennis  approached  the  soldier  and  said  lightly, 
"  Are  n't  you  goin'  to  feed  your  prisoners 
pretty  soon  ?  Why,  't  is  night  comin'  on  and 
we  have  n't  had  a  bite  of  any  kind  since 
mornin'." 

"  I  '11  see  what  can  be  done  when  I  'm  re- 
lieved," said  the  soldier.  "  Now  don't  talk  to 
me  any  more  and  be  on  your  good  behavior, 
too.  I  don't  think  it  will  be  wise  for  you  and 
the  other  Yank  to  do  much  whispering,  either. 
I  'm  always  afraid  of  Yanks  when  they  get  off 
in  a  corner,  especially  if  it 's  in  the  dark." 

"  All  right,"  laughed  Dennis.  "  I  '11  put  the 
lad  over  in  the  other  corner  of  the  room  and 
I  '11  stay  right  here  by  you." 

"  I  don't  care  where  you  stay  if  you  '11  only 
keep  still.  You  must  n't  talk  to  me,  because 
if  you  do  you  are  likely  to  get  both  of  us  into 
trouble.  When  we  get  the  room  full  of  Yanks, 
then  we  '11  enforce  a  little  different  discipline." 


86    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

It  was  dark  when  the  guard  was  relieved, 
but  soon  after  his  place  had  been  taken  by 
one  of  his  companions  he  returned  with  some 
corn-bread  and  some  "  coffee  "  made  of  toast. 
Humble  as  the  fare  was,  it  was  eagerly  re- 
ceived by  the  young  prisoners,  and  when  the 
scanty  meal  was  ended  Dennis  said  to  the 
guard,  "  Shure,  and  you  're  goin'  to  give  us 
a  blanket  or  somethin'  to  sleep  on,  are  n't  ye?" 

"Don't  speak  to  me !  "  ordered  the  soldier. 

"  All  right  for  yez,"  said  Dennis  good- 
naturedly.  "  If  we  have  to  slape  on  the  floor, 
we  might  as  well  begin  to  learn  how  to  do  the 
trick  now  as  any  time.  Come  on,  Noel,"  he 
called  to  his  companion. 

Convinced  that  their  actions  were  keenly 
watched  by  the  guard,  Dennis  simply  dropped 
upon  the  floor  and  bade  his  companion  take 
his  place  beside  him.  "  'T  is  hard  slapin'  here, 
Noel,"  he  whispered,  "  but  I  'm  thinkin'  that 
it  won't  be  long  that  we  '11  have  to  tarry  here. 
I  '11  tell  ye  a  bit  more  about  me  plans  now." 

"  Don't  let  the  guard  hear  you  whispering," 
warned  Noel. 

"Niver  a  bit,"  said  Dennis,  his  voice  be- 
coming so  piercing  that  Noel  seized  his  com- 
panion's arm  as  a  warning. 

"  I  'm  that  still,"  continued  Dennis,  "  that 


THE   PLOT  87 

I  can  hear  the  mice  holdin'  a  pow-wow  down 
under  the  floor.  Now  listen  to  me,  lad.  We 
can't  do  anything  to-night,  but  if  the  John- 
nies don't  put  too  many  men  in  here  with  us, 
it  may  be  that  to-morrow  night  or  the  night 
after  that  we  can  begin  our  escape." 

"  How?"  inquired  Noel  eagerly. 

"  Well,  I  was  tellin'  ye  about  the  trapdoor, 
or  the  slide.  I  'm  a  bit  fearful  o'  this  fellow 
on  guard  now,  so  that  we  won't  try  that  out 
to-night,  but  lave  it  to  some  other  time.  And 
I  'm  hopin'  that  to-morrow  night  will  be  the 
darkest  ever  known.  I'll  get  you  to  hold  me 
up  on  your  shoulders,  and  then  if  you  brace 
yoursilf  against  the  wall,  I  '11  see  if  the  door 
cannot  be  pushed  back.  I  fancy  that  will  be 
all  we  '11  be  able  to  do  the  first  night,  but  if 
I  find  that  the  thing  works,  then  within  a 
night  or  two  we  can  try  it  over  again,  and 
I  '11  push  the  door  back  with  me  hands  and 
then  I  '11  climb  up  and  hide  in  the  loft." 

"  And  leave  me  down  in  the  room  below, 
I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  lad !  Not  a  bit  of  it !  I  '11 
take  hold  of  your  hands  and  lift  you  clear  up 
where  I  am.  Then  we  '11  let  down  the  door, 
and  put  it  back  in  its  place  and  put  a  bar 
across  it,  or  hold  it  with  our  hands,  so  that  no 


88    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTTETAM 

one  can  get  up  there,  though  I'm  thinkin' 
no  one  will  ever  suspect  us  of  havin'  gone  up 
through  the  roof." 

"  What  good  would  it  do  you  to  be  in  that 
room  instead  of  in  this?"  inquired  Noel. 
*  You  won't  be  able  to  get  away." 

"  Indade,  an'  I  will,  if  the  night  is  dark 
enough,"  said  Dennis.  "  Did  you  notice  the 
magnolia  tree  growin'  close  to  the  side  of  the 
house?" 

"Which  side?" 

"The  one  toward  the  barn." 

"No.  What  about  it?" 

"Well,  it's  growin'  close  up,  right  under 
the  eaves  of  the  house.  'T  is  big  enough  and 
strong  enough  to  hold  a  man,  and  if  the  night 
is  as  dark  as  we  hope  it  will  be,  we  '11  slide 
out  of  the  window,  for  there  is  a  window  right 
by  the  tree,  and  if  we  are  still  enough  we  '11 
be  able  to  slip  down  it  without  disturbin'  any- 
body." 

"  I  'm  afraid  the  loft  will  be  the  first  place 
the  men  will  search  after  they  find  we  are 
gone." 

"  Don't  you  belave  it !  "  whispered  Dennis 
positively.  "  I  've  got  a  bit  o'  string  in  me 
pocket,  an'  if  I  can  find  a  small  sthick  I  '11 
fix  the  window  in  the  room  here  so  that  the 


THE  PLOT  89 

sthick  will  let  down  the  window  an'  in  the 
racket  they  will  think  we  have  gone  straight 
through  the  bars." 

Dubious  as  Noel  was  about  the  outcome  of 
the  proposed  plan  of  escape,  he  nevertheless 
was  inclined  to  share  in  this  project  of  his 
companion.  Whatever  might  be  the  peril,  and 
that  it  would  not  be  slight  he  was  well  aware, 
it  was  to  be  preferred  to  being  sent  to  Libby 
Prison. 

Outside  the  windows  were  heavy  oak  bars 
that  could  neither  be  broken  nor  removed. 
If  the  window  was  raised,  so  confident  were 
the  soldiers  in  charge  that  their  prisoners 
would  not  be  able  to  escape,  it  might  be  low- 
ered in  such  a  manner  as  Dennis  had  de- 
scribed, and  the  clatter  which  would  surely 
follow  might  distract  the  attention  of  the 
guard  if  the  loft  once  could  be  gained  by  the 
two  soldiers. 

The  "  sthick "  to  which  Dennis  had  re- 
ferred might  be  tied  by  a  string  that  he 
would  attach  to  it  and  then  drawn  up  to  the 
loft  before  the  door  was  replaced,  and  before 
the  guard  was  fully  aware  of  what  had  oc- 
curred. 

The  same  night  two  more  prisoners  were 
received   and  were   placed   in   the   room   in 


90    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

which  Dennis  and  Noel  were  confined.  The 
men,  however,  were  strangers  to  the  boys, 
and  Dennis  declared  that  they  could  not  be 
sharers  in  his  project  unless  the  attempt  nec- 
essarily should  be  delayed  several  days.  By 
that  time  they  might  be  able  to  learn  more 
of  the  character  of  their  fellow  prisoners. 

There  were  thoughts  at  times  in  Noel's 
mind  that  it  might  be  well  for  him  or  his 
companion  to  make  the  first  attempt  to  escape 
alone.  The  peril  was  so  great  and  the  chance 
of  success  so  slight  that  to  him  it  seemed  to 
be  folly  to  divide  the  risk.  If  success  should 
crown  the  efforts  of  one,  it  would  be  a  small 
matter  for  the  other  to  follow.  The  thought, 
however,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  any 
one  without  aid  to  secure  an  entrance  into  the 
loft  caused  him  to  banish  the  suggestion  from 
his  mind.  By  common  consent  the  two  new 
prisoners  slept  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
room. 

Dennis  and  Noel  had  retained  the  place 
which  they  at  first  took  for  their  resting-place, 
directly  beneath  the  slide  in  the  ceiling. 

"  To-night  we  must  make  a  try  of  it,"  whis- 
pered Dennis  on  the  evening  which  followed 
the  arrival  of  their  companions.  "  I  '11  see 
what  can  be  done  with  that  door,  anyway." 


THE   PLOT  91 

There  was  no  light  in  the  room,  but  the  dull 
glow  that  came  through  the  door  opening  into 
the  hallway  enabled  them  to  see  that  the  guard 
was  sitting  quietly  in  his  chair  in  a  position 
from  which  he  could,  if  necessary,  see  much 
that  was  occurring  within  the  room. 

Cautiously  withdrawing  from  the  direct  line 
of  vision,  Dennis  and  Noel  crawled  nearer  the 
wall.  Dennis  had  removed  his  shoes  before 
either  of  the  boys  had  stretched  themselves  on 
the  floor  for  the  night.  Not  a  word  was  spoken. 
Acting  promptly  Noel  braced  himself  against 
the  side  wall  and  assisted  his  companion  to 
mount  to  his  shoulders. 

Dennis,  who  was  a  powerful  lad,  at  once 
scrambled  to  the  position,  and,  hesitating  only 
an  instant  to  discover  whether  or  not  his  action 
had  been  seen,  cautiously  lifted  his  hands  and 
tried  the  slide  in  the  ceiling  directly  above  him. 

In  a  moment  the  two  young  soldiers  again 
took  their  position  upon  the  floor,  each  greatly 
excited  and  both  relieved  when  after  a  few 
moments  had  passed  they  were  convinced 
that  their  actions  had  not  been  seen  by  the 
guard. 

"  'T  is  all  right,  Noel,"  whispered  Dennis. 
"The  door  up  there  slides  back.  I  can  slide 
it  open  without  any  trouble.  Now  if  we  can 


92    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

find  a  piece  of  sthick,  we  '11  rig  ou*  trick  for 
to-morrow  ni^ht." 

It  was  difficult  for  Noel,  throughout  the 
hours  of  the  following  day,  to  repress  the  ex- 
citement under  which  he  was  laboring.  His 
uncertainty  at  times  and  his  fears  lest  the 
guard  should  discover  their  attempts  almost 
caused  him  to  decide  to  protest  against  the 
adventure.  The  thought,  however,  of  what 
freedom  would  mean  was  sufficiently  strong  to 
overcome  his  fears  and  every  time  his  decision 
became  stronger. 

With  Dennis,  there  was  no  hesitation.  In- 
deed, it  almost  appeared  as  if  the  perilous 
attempt  had  no  danger  at  all  for  the  young 
Irish  soldier.  He  watched  the  clouds  and 
beamed  upon  his  companion  when  the  guard 
was  changed,  and  said,  "  It  looks  like  we  're 
goin'  to  have  a  big  rain  to-night.  It 's  too 
early  for  the  equinox,  but  I  reckon  we  all  will 
have  to  take  it  when  it  comes.  I  reckon,  too," 
he  added,  "  that  we  all  shan't  stay  here  much 
longer.  We  '11  be  sending  you  Yanks  on  to 
Richmond  to  join  your  friends." 

The  prophecy  of  the  guard  in  part  was  ful- 
filled as  the  day  drew  to  its  close,  and  when 
the  light  disappeared  the  rain  was  falling 
heavily. 


CHAPTER  X 

INTO    THE    STORM 

"When  darkness  fell  over  the  land  the  violence 
of  the  storm  increased.  The  whistling  of  the 
wind  and  the  swaying  of  the  branches  could 
be  heard  within  the  building. 

"This  is  just  what  we  want/'  whispered 
Dennis. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Noel,  though  his  fears  were 
not  allayed  by  the  confidence  of  his  comrade. 
"  You  must  wait  a  while,  Dennis/5  he  added. 

"Indade,  and  I'll  wait,"  replied  the  young 
Irishman.  "  We  want  to  be  shure  that  every 
wan  is  aslape  before  we  begin." 

As  the  hours  passed  and  the  fierceness  of 
the  storm  increased,  and  the  sound  of  the 
pelting  raindrops  was  heard  as  they  struck  the 
sides  of  the  building,  the  monotony  of  it  all 
served  as  an  inducement  for  sleep.  It  was  not 
long  before  the  sounds  which  came  from  their 
fellow  prisoners  convinced  both  the  young 
soldiers  that  the  men  were  sleeping  soundly. 
The  guard  in  the  hallway  was  plainly  within 
sight  seated  in  a  chair  which  was  tipped  back 


94    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

against  the  wall.  A  lighted  candle  was  shining 
in  each  end  of  the  hall,  and  though  the  light 
was  dim  every  movement  of  a  person  near  by 
could  be  plainly  seen. 

Fortunately  the  light  of  the  candles  did  not 
fall  directly  upon  the  ceiling  in  the  room 
where  the  prisoners  were  confined. 

"  It  must  be  eliven  o'clock,"  whispered 
Dennis.  "Don't  you  think  so,  Noel?" 

"Yes." 

"  It 's  time  for  us  to  begin." 

"  Yes,"  again  assented  Noel. 

"  Kape  still  now,  while  I  take  off  me  shoes 
again.  You  'd  better  take  yours  off,  too." 

"  We  '11  want  them  if  we  ever  get  out  of 
this  place,"  suggested  Noel. 

"  That 's  right.  Shure  we  will.  You  '11  have 
to  pass  them  up  to  me  after  I  have  climbed 
into  the  loft." 

Noel  made  no  further  protests,  and  Dennis 
at  once  prepared  to  carry  out  the  plan  which 
he  had  so  carefully  devised. 

Silently  both  young  soldiers  removed  their 
shoes,  and  then,  without  delaying  a  moment, 
as  soon  as  Noel  had  braced  himself  against 
the  side  of  the  wall,  Dennis  clambered  to  his 
shoulders  and  then  waited  a  brief  instant  to 
discover  whether  or  not  the  guard  was  aware 


INTO  THE  STORM  95 

of  any  unusual  activities  among  his  pris- 
oners. 

The  silence  was  unbroken,  and  Dennis,  as 
soon  as  he  was  convinced  that  the  suspicions 
of  their  guard  had  not  been  aroused,  slowly 
and  cautiously  began  to  slide  back  the  open- 
ing into  the  loft. 

More  time  was  consumed  in  this  endeavor 
than  either  of  the  boys  had  expected.  Several 
times  the  door  seemed  to  stick  in  its  place,  and 
only  by  the  utmost  care  was  the  young  Irish- 
man able  to  push  it  past  the  obstacle  without 
making  any  noise.  At  last,  however,  his  effort 
was  crowned  with  success  and  a  narrow  open- 
ing above  him  was  cleared. 

To  Noel,  who  was  upholding  his  burden, 
the  efforts  of  his  friend  appeared  to  be  unduly 
prolonged.  It  seemed  to  him  that  he  could  not 
longer  maintain  his  position  and  that  he  must 
let  Dennis  fall  to  the  floor. 

Aware,  however,  that  such  an  action  on 
his  part  would  certainly  arouse  the  guard,  he 
braced  himself  once  more  and  did  his  utmost 
to  stand  steadily  in  his  place. 

His  relief  was  great  when  Dennis,  firmly 
grasping  with  a  hand  each  side  of  the  floor 
above  him,  quickly  raised  himself  and  crawled 
into   the  loft.    Noel  instantly  stooped  and 


96    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

taking  the  heavy  shoes  held  them  toward  the 
ceiling. 

In  the  darkness  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
Dennis  at  last  was  able  to  see  and  seize  them, 
and  then,  as  soon  as  he  had  placed  them  care- 
fully on  the  floor  of  the  loft,  he  reached  dowi 
to  grasp  the  uplifted  hands  of  Noel. 

Securing  a  firm  hold  upon  each  of  Noe1 
wrists,  Dennis,  bracing  himself,   slowly  a 
steadily  lifted  his  companion.  In  a  brief  t 
Noel  was  able  to  grasp  the  sides  of  the  f 
and  thereby  assist  his  companion.  The  si 
est  noise  might  mean  the  death  of  either  ^ 
the  escaping  soldiers,  and  yet,  dire  as  was  the 
peril,  Noel's  heart  seemed  somehow  almost  to 
be  numb  at  the  time.    He  did  not  even  con- 
sider the  possibility  that  confronted  him.   His 
main  endeavor  was  to  clamper  into  the  loft 
noiselessly  and  thereby  avoid  arousing   the 
Confederate  guard. 

At  last  Noel  was  standing  beside  Dennis, 
and  with  the  utmost  caution  the  latter  at  once 
pushed  back  the  slide  into  its  place. 

The  falling  of  the  raindrops  on  the  roof, 
which  was  directly  above  them,  helped  drown 
any  noise  that  the  guard  might  make  below. 
The  whistling  of  the  wind  as  it  swayed  the 
branches  of  the  near-by  tree  was  weird.  Even 


INTO  THE  STORM  97 

the  beating  of  their  hearts  seemed  to  sound 
so  loudly  that  each  was  able  to  share  in  his 
companion's  feelings. 

Both  young  soldiers  were  listening  intently 
for  any  disturbances  that  might  be  made  in 
the  room  below  them.  A  faint  light  entered 
the  room  through  the  one  window,  which  was 
near  the  tree.  This,  however,  was  sufficient, 
after  the  lapse  of  a  few  minutes,  to  enable 
both  boys  dimly  to  discern  the  outlines  of  the 
room  in  which  they  were  standing. 

"  Whist !  "  whispered  Dennis.  "  They 
have  n't  heard  us.  'T  is  a  fine  day  for  us." 

"  Wait,"  said  Noel. 

"  No,  I  'm  not  goin'  to  wait,"  retorted 
Dennis.  "  What  we  want  to  do  is  to  lave  at 
once.  The  more  we  wait,  the  longer  we  '11 
have  to  stay.  Every  minute  here  means  a 
month  in  Libby  Prison." 

The  window  was  closed,  but  one  of  the 
small  panes  was  broken,  and  without  much 
difficulty  the  boys  succeeded  in  removing  the 


A  heavy  downpour  of  rain  and  a  fresh 
shriek  from  the  storm  served  to  cause  both 
boys  to  pause  once  more  and  listen  for  fur- 
ther sounds  of  discovery  from  the  room  be- 
low. 


98    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Apparently,  however,  their  escape  had  not 
as  yet  been  discovered,  and  eagerly  both  pre- 
pared to  descend  by  the  way  of  the  tree  to  the 
ground. 

In  order  to  gain  a  more  secure  foothold 
and  at  the  same  time  avoid  making  any  noise, 
each  of  the  boys  had  tied  his  shoes  together 
and  hung  them  about  his  neck. 

Dennis  first  peered  out  of  the  window,  and 
when  he  withdrew  his  head  he  whispered  to 
Noel,  u  I  cannot  see  the  guard  anywhere.  I 
guess  the  Johnnies  don't  like  the  rain  and 
have  gone  in  out  of  the  wet." 

Noel  was  too  excited  to  respond  to  the  sug- 
gestion and  eagerly  said,  "  Go  on,  Dennis ! 
Go  ahead  !  Don't  wait  a  minute." 

"  Here  I  go,  then  !  "  said  Dennis,  as,  lean- 
ing from  the  window,  he  grasped  the  extended 
branches  of  the  tree  which  reached  to  within 
a  few  inches  of  the  side  of  the  house. 

Noel  breathlessly  watched  his  companion, 
at  the  same  time  seeking  to  discover  whether 
the  descent  of  Dennis  was  known  to  any  one 
below.  The  young  soldier  had  no  conception 
of  the  minutes  that  passed,  but  it  seemed  to 
him  a  long  time  before  the  young  Irishman 
at  last  disappeared  from  sight,  evidently  hav- 
ing successfully  gained  the  ground. 


INTO  THE  STORM  99 

Without  hesitating  longer,  Noel  instantly 
prepared  to  follow.  As  he  seized  the  extended 
branch  his  hands  for  a  moment  slipped,  and 
it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  he  retained  his 
hold  and  prevented  himself  from  falling  to 
the  ground.  The  branch  creaked  ominously 
and  the  alarm  of  the  young  soldier  was  in- 
creased by  his  fear  that  it  would  fail  to  sus- 
tain him.  Noel  was  strong  and  nimble,  how- 
ever, and  soon  secured  a  firmer  grip,  and 
convinced  that  his  departure  from  the  build- 
ing as  yet  had  not  been  discovered,  he  rapidly 
made  his  way  to  the  ground,  and  then  without 
delaying  a  moment  ran  swiftly  in  the  direction 
of  the  barn. 

All  the  time  he  was  fearful  of  a  shot  from 
the  guard  in  or  about  the  house.  Perhaps 
fear  gave  him  additional  speed.  At  all  events, 
in  a  brief  time  he  gained  the  shelter  he  was 
seeking,  and  at  once,  keeping  well  within  the 
lee  of  the  barn,  peered  anxiously  at  the  place 
from  which  he  had  fled. 

The  noise  of  the  storm  was  the  only  sound 
to  be  heard.  The  faint  light  that  was  shining 
from  the  window  of  the  hall  where  the  guard 
had  been  stationed  was  the  only  bright  spot 
in  the  midst  of  the  surrounding  darkness. 
There  were  no  indications  of  pursuit  and  no 


100    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

sound  which  indicated  that  his  flight  had  be- 
come known. 

But  where  was  Dennis?  For  the  first  time 
Noel  became  aware  that  he  and  his  friend  had 
not  made  any  plans  as  to  their  meeting  in 
case  both  were  successful  in  escaping  from 
the  house. 

Eagerly  the  boy  looked  all  about  him,  but 
there  was  no  sign  of  his  friendly  comrade. 
For  a  moment  Noel  was  undecided.  Should 
he  remain  where  he  was  and  wait  the  possible 
coming  of  Dennis  ?  Or  should  he  at  once  de- 
part from  the  place,  now  that  he  had  succeeded 
in  gaining  the  shelter  of  the  barn,  and  strive 
to  make  his  way  as  best  he  might  to  the 
road  which  joined  the  one  that  led  through 
the  swamp? 

Noel  Curtis  was  too  highly  wrought  up  to 
hesitate  long.  Safely  making  his  way  toward 
the  opposite  side  of  the  barn,  he  then  started 
swiftly  in  the  direction  in  which  the  longed- 
for  road  was  to  be  found.  He  had  only  a  faint 
recollection  of  the  direction,  however,  and  the 
night  was  too  dark  to  enable  him  to  discover 
any  familiar  signs. 

Before  he  had  fled  twenty  yards  he  was 
drenched  with  the  downpour.  That  fact,  how- 
ever, was  of  minor  consequence,  and  in  his 


INTO  THE  STORM  101 

eagerness,  although  he  frequently  was  slipping 
and  sliding  as  his  feet  failed  to  gain  a  firm 
foothold  in  the  slippery  mud,  it  was  not  long 
before  Noel  found  himself  at  the  place  he  was 
seeking.  He  had  believed  that  no  guard  would 
be  stationed  there  in  such  a  night.  Not  only 
was  the  storm  so  violent  as  to  make  it  well- 
nigh  impossible  for  a  man  and  his  horse  to 
remain  outside,  but  the  darkness  would  enable 
any  Northern  soldiers  who  might  have  crossed 
the  corduroy  road  to  escape  the  vision  of  the 
waiting  Confederate. 

Noel's  surprise  and  pleasure  were  great 
when  he  discovered  that  the  road  over  which 
he  was  running  was  a  plank  road.  When  he 
had  fled  about  one  hundred  yards,  almost 
breathless  he  halted  to  discover  whether  or 
not  there  were  any  signs  of  pursuit. 

Convinced  that  his  escape  as  yet  was  un- 
known, the  lad  seated  himself  on  a  plank  in 
a  small  bridge  and  donned  the  shoes  which 
he  had  been  carrying  about  his  neck.  Then 
he  resumed  his  flight  through  the  driving 
storm. 


CHAPTER  XI 

NICK 

The  brief  respite  had  so  restored  the  strength 
of  the  young  soldier  that  he  ran  swiftly  over 
the  loose  planks  until  he  had  gone  several 
yards  from  the  place  where  he  had  stopped. 

Compelled  then  to  slacken  his  pace,  he 
glanced  anxiously  about  him  as  he  moved  on 
through  the  unfamiliar  country.  The  storm 
was  still  severe,  though  heavy,  broken  clouds 
now  were  to  be  seen  in  the  darkened  sky. 

Noel  was  fleeing  through  a  country  with 
which  he  not  only  was  not  familiar,  but  which 
also  provided  many  perils  of  its  own.  Fortu- 
nately, as  he  believed,  there  were  few  people 
whom  he  was  likely  to  meet  at  such  a  time 
and  in  a  pouring  rain.  The  thought  of  Stuart's 
cavalry,  however,  caused  him  to  be  doubly 
watchful,  for  he  knew  of  the  report  that  horse- 
men had  been  thrown  out  to  intercept  any 
stragglers  that  might  be  striving  to  make  their 
way  to  the  army  of  General  McClellan. 

An  hour  or  more  elapsed,  and  as  yet  Noel 
had  not  discovered  any  one  on  the  old  road- 


NICK  103 

way.  Once  when  he  had  passed  a  humble  cabin 
the  barking  of  the  dogs  had  caused  him  to 
hesitate.  He  was  defenseless  and  was  unaware 
of  the  sympathies  of  the  inmates  of  the  little 
house.  The  uncertainty,  however,  caused  him 
to  resume  his  flight,  although  he  still  was 
ignorant  of  his  destination. 

His  chief  thought  was  that,  by  placing  the 
greatest  possible  distance  between  him  and 
the  enemies  whom  he  had  left  behind  him,  he 
might  then  be  able  to  obtain  help  or  find  a 
place  in  which  he  could  hide  throughout  the 
day  and  resume  his  flight  when  night  again 
came.  Even  in  his  alarm  and  perplexity,  he 
smiled  as  he  recalled  the  statement  of  Dennis, 
when  the  young  Irishman  had  outlined  his 
plan  for  escape,  u  that  he  did  n't  know  where 
he  was  going,  but  he  knew  he  wanted  to  go 
there  mighty  quick,  and  he  wanted  to  go 
mighty  bad." 

The  night  now  was  almost  gone.  Noel  was 
aware  of  this  from  the  slight  change  that  ap- 
peared in  the  eastern  sky.  There  was  as  yet 
no  promise  of  the  passing  of  the  storm,  though 
its  violence  had  markedly  decreased. 

It  was  strange,  the  young  soldier  thought, 
that  all  through  the  hours  of  his  flight  he  had 
not  discovered  any  of  his  enemies.  At  that  mo- 


104     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

ment,  however,  Noel  saw  coming  from  a  lane 
at  the  left  of  the  road  a  man  who  was  carry- 
ing a  burden  in  each  hand.  Around  his  neck 
hung  a  yoke  the  cords  of  which  were  attached 
to  bundles. 

It  was  too  dark  to  enable  Noel  to  determine 
whether  or  not  the  man  was  a  soldier.  He 
halted  abruptly,  and,  prepared  to  flee  instantly 
if  occasion  should  demand,  eagerly  watched 
the  approaching  stranger.  As  yet  he  appar- 
ently was  unaware  of  the  presence  of  Noel 
in  the  road.  Suddenly,  however,  he  glanced  in 
the  direction  of  the  young  soldier. 

The  man's  alarm  was  so  manifest  at  his  dis- 
covery that  under  other  circumstances  Noel 
would  have  laughed  heartily.  The  light  was 
sufficiently  strong  to  enable  him  to  see  now 
that  the  man  was  not  a  soldier,  and  a  moment 
later,  when  the  stranger  spoke,  the  young 
soldier's  fears  were  relieved  when  it  became 
manifest  that  he  was  a  negro. 

"  Who  dat  ?  Who  dat  ?  "  asked  the  colored 
man  as  he  stopped  abruptly. 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  demanded 
Noel,  striving  to  speak  sternly. 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  "  replied  the  negro. 
"Is  yo'  all  come  from  — "  Whatever  the 
place  from  which  the  negro  thought  he  came, 


NICK  105 

he  did  not  complete  his  sentence,  and  conse- 
quently Noel  was  left  in  ignorance. 

"  Who  lives  here  ?  "  demanded  Noel. 

"Massa  Hilton." 

"Is  he  home?" 

"  No,  suh.  Yas,  suh.  I  don'  jest  'member 
whether  he  's  home  or  not,"  stammered  the 
negro. 

Noel's  experiences  with  Long  John  had 
made  him  somewhat  suspicious  of  the  colored 
people  of  the  region.  He  decided  that  he 
would  be  extremely  cautious,  and  at  once 
said,  "In  which  direction  are  you  going?" 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  "  replied  the  negro. 

"  Come  on,  then,"  said  Noel.  "  I  'm  going 
in  the  same  direction." 

The  colored  man  hesitated  a  moment,  and 
then  as  he  moved  nearer  he  was  convinced 
that  he  did  not  need  to  fear  the  young  stranger 
and  obediently  joined  him. 

As  soon  as  they  had  advanced  beyond  the 
point  in  the  road  which  hid  the  little  house 
from  their  sight,  Noel  turned  to  his  compan- 
ion and  said,  "What  are  you  doing  —  leaving 
home  at  this  time  of  night  ?  " 

"I  don'  lib  dar,"  replied  the  negro 
promptly.  "  I  b'long  to  Massa  Frost." 

"  Where  does  he  live  ?  " 


106     THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Fo'  or  five  miles  up  yonder,"  replied  the 
negro,  pointing  ahead  of  him  as  he  spoke. 

"  What  are  you  doing  down  here,  and  what 
are  you  leaving  at  this  time  in  the  night  for?" 

"  Is  yo'  all  a  Union  sojer?"  asked  the  ne- 
gro abruptly. 

"Do  I  look  like  it?" 

"  Yas,  suh  ;  though  yo'  clothes  is  so  covered 
with  mud  I  dess  can't  tell  'xactly  what  you 


are." 


"  What  would  you  say  if  I  was  ?  " 

"  I  want  to  know  whether  yo'  is  or  yo* 
is  n't  befo'  I  answers  dat  ar  question." 

"All  right,"  laughed  Noel,  who  was  con- 
vinced now  that  in  no  event  should  he  have 
to  fear  his  colored  companion. 

The  house  had  been  safely  passed  and  the 
negro  apparently  wras  inoffensive  and  harm- 
less. Noel  was  still  watchful  for  the  appear- 
ance of  any  of  Stuart's  men,  for  whom  he 
entertained  a  feeling  of  most  wholesome  re- 
spect. 

"  What 's  your  name  ?  "  he  asked  again  as 
he  turned  to  his  companion. 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  !  "  replied  the  negro. 
"  My  name  's  Nick." 

"  Are  you  related  to  i  Nicodemus,  a  slave, 
of   African   birth/  and   did   you   call   your 


NICK  107 

friends  to  c  meet  you  down  by  the  swamp  and 
wake  you  up  for  the  great  jubilee'?"  The 
young  soldier  was  speaking  in  apparent  seri- 
ousness and  his  companion  stopped  abruptly 
and  stared  at  the  man  who  had  asked  him 
these  strange  questions. 

"  No,  suh,"  he  said.  "I  never  kno'  nuthin' 
'bout  no  swamp.  Wha  's  dat  yo'  all  is  tellin' 
'bout  anyway  ?  " 

In  a  low  voice  Noel  began  to  sing  the  song 
which  was  familiar  even  in  his  far-away  home 
on  the  St.  Lawrence,  — 

"  Nicodemus,  the  slave,  was  of  African  birth, 
And  he  died  years  ago  very  old. 
Wake  me  up  was  his  plea  —  " 

"  Yas,  suh,"  said  the  negro,  "  but  it 's  not 
dis  yere  Nick.  Dat 's  some  oder  Nick.  I  know 
milliums  of  darkies  named  Nick." 

"  Nick,"  demanded  Noel  abruptly,  "  do  you 
know  any  men  around  here  who  are  friends 
of  the  Union  ?  " 

"  Yas,  suh.  I  sho'ly  does,"  replied  the  negro, 
so  promptly  that  the  young  soldier  at  once 
decided  that  he  might  rely  upon  his  friend- 
ship. 

"  Are  any  of  the  men  at  home  now  ?  " 

"  Yas,  suh.  Yas,  suh.  Massa  Hilton,  back 
yonder ;  I  reckon  he  mought  be  er  Union  man." 


108    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Is  your  master  ?  " 

"Yas,  suh.  Massa  Hilton's  brother  Sam, 
he  's  fo'  de  South.  I  reckon  it  almost  comes 
to  blows  when  dey  talks  about  de  war." 

"  Is  n't  either  of  them  in  the  army  ?  " 

"  Yas,  suh  ;  Massa  Sam  Hilton,  he  's  in  de 
'fed'ate  a'my." 

u  But  this  Mr.  Hilton  who  lives  back  in  the 
house  we  passed,  he  's  not  a  soldier,  you  say?" 

"  No,  suh.  No,  suh." 

"  You  're  sure  he  's  a  good  friend  of  the 
Union  men  ?  " 

"  He  sho'ly  am." 

"  Then  I  'm  going  back  there,"  said  Noel, 
stopping  as  he  spoke  and  turning  abruptly 
about. 

Nick  in  surprise  also  stopped  and  looked  at 
his  companion.  "  Is  yo'  all  a  Union  sojer?" 

"  I  am,  and  I  want  to  go  where  I  can  find 
somebody  who  will  be  good  to  me  for  a  day 
or  two.  You  say  you  're  sure  Mr.  Hilton  will 
be  glad  to  see  me?" 

"  I  can't  jes'  say  as  how  he  will  be  glad  to 
see  yo',"  replied  the  negro,  shaking  his  head 
slowly. 

"  But  you  said  he  would,"  interrupted  Noel. 

"  No,  suh ;  'scuse  me.  What  I  done  say 
was  dat  he  would  be  good  to  yo'.  I  don'  know 


NICK  109 

as  Massa  Hilton  will  be  glad  to  see  a  Union 
sojer  des'  now." 

«  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Dar  's  some  special  reasons  what  I  don't 
recomember,"  replied  Nick,  speaking  in  such 
a  manner  that  Noel's  suspicions  again  were 
aroused. 

"  But  you  say  he  's  a  Union  man  ?" 

"  Yas,  suh.  Yas,  suh,  he  sure  am." 

"  Why  won't  he  be  glad  to  see  me  ?  " 

"  I  done  tell  yo',  suh,  des'  now  dat  dere  's 
all  dis  yere  trouble  what  am  goin'  on.  I  reckon 
dey  is  n't  nobody  what 's  glad  to  have  a  sojer 
come  to  his  house  des'  now." 

"  Oh,  I  see,"  said  Noel  slowly;  "but  if  I  do 
come  he  will  take  care  of  me  for  a  day  or  two? 
Then  I  'm  going  back  there.  What  have  you 
got  in  your  bundle,  Nick  ?  " 

"  Nothin'  much.  Des'  some  stuff  what 
Massa  Frost  done  tol'  me  fo'  toe  git  at  Massa 
Hilton's." 

"  Why  do  you  call  for  it  in  the  night  ? 
Why  don't  you  go  out  in  the  daytime  ?  " 

"I'se  feared  some  of  the  sojers  mought 
see  me  if  I  start  after  sunup  —  " 

"  You  're  more  afraid  they  will  take  away 
from  you  what  you  have  in  those  bundles." 

"  Dere  ain't  nuthin'  in  dis  yere  bundle.  I 


110    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

mus'  be  goin'  on,"  Nick  added  excitedly.  "I 
mus'  git  toe  Massa  Frost's  befo'  sunup." 

"  Well,  good  luck  to  you,"  laughed  Noel. 
"  I  hope  you  won't  fall  in  with  any  of  Stu- 
art's cavalry,  and  I  hope  a  good  deal  more 
that  I  shan't,  but  I  'in  going  back  to  that 
house." 

The  young  soldier  was  aware  that  he  was 
incurring  great  risk  in  his  venture,  but  he  was 
wet  and  weary,  and  it  had  been  long  since  he 
had  tasted  food.  He  might  be  hidden  about 
the  place  somewhere  and  fed  for  a  day  or  two, 
when  matters  might  so  shape  themselves  that 
he  would  be  able  to  join  the  main  army  of 
McClellan,  which  he  knew  could  not  be  very 
far  away. 

Acting  at  once  upon  his  decision,  Noel  rap- 
idly retraced  his  steps  and  soon  arrived  at  a 
place  from  which  he  was  able  to  see  the  house 
and  the  few  low  outbuildings  that  were  in  the 
rear.  He  stopped  a  moment  and  listened  in- 
tently. The  rain  had  almost  stopped,  though 
the  air  was  heavy  with  mist.  Not  a  sound 
broke  the  silence. 

Cautiously  approaching  the  house,  Noel 
turned  from  the  roadside  and  started  toward 
the  building.  He  was  watchful,  for  not  only 
was  there  peril  from  men  who  might  be  within, 


NICK  111 

but  also  from  the  huge  dogs  which  he  knew 
were  common  in  the  region. 

When  at  last  he  approached  the  grounds 
of  the  house  he  stopped  once  more  and  again 
listened  intently.  Still  the  silence  was  un- 
broken and  there  was  no  appearance  of  dan- 
ger. 

He  decided  to  go  to  the  door,  which  he  be- 
lieved would  be  in  the  rear  of  the  house  and 
that  opened  into  the  kitchen.  Perhaps  he 
might  there  find  a  shelter  or  some  place  of 
refuge  which  would  protect  him  in  a  measure 
from  the  night.  If  such  a  place  should  be 
found,  he  planned  to  wait  there  until  daylight 
before  making  his  presence  known  to  the  in- 
mates of  the  house. 

To  his  great  delight  Noel  discovered  a 
lean-to  or  shed  in  the  rear  of  the  house.  The 
floor  was  of  brick,  and  though  it  was  too  dark 
to  enable  him  to  see  what  was  inside,  the  fact 
that  no  dogs  had  challenged  his  coming  en- 
couraged him  to  enter.  Stepping  inside,  he 
turned  to  look  once  more  out  into  the  night 
and  make  certain  that  his  movements  had  not 
been  seen. 

The  young  soldier  was  startled  when,  ap- 
pearing around  the  corner  of  one  of  the  low 
buildings,  he  saw  a  man,  who  in  the  dim  light 


112    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

seemed  to  loom  head  and  shoulders  above  the 
height  of  an  ordinary  human  being.  At  first 
Noel  almost  believed  that  it  was  the  negro, 
Long  John,  by  whom  he  had  been  led  into  the 
trap  set  by  the  Confederate  soldiers.  Certainly 
the  man  was  as  tall  as  the  negro,  but  there 
was  something  in  his  movements  which  con- 
vinced the  watching  boy  after  a  brief  interval 
that  this  man  was  not  colored. 

Suddenly  it  occurred  to  him  that  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  place,  the  man  of  whom  Nick 
had  spoken  as  "  Massa  Hilton,"  might  be  the 
one  who  was  approaching,  though  why  he 
should  be  out  of  the  house  at  such  a  time  and 
in  such  a  night  the  lad  could  not  understand. 
Boldly  advancing  from  his  hiding-place,  Noel 
approached  the  startled  stranger,  and  in  a  low 
voice  hailed  him. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    GIANT 

«  Who  's  that?  Who  's  that?"  demanded  the 
man  in  a  voice  which  did  not  betray  any 
alarm.  Indeed,  the  huge  form  seemed  to  loom 
even  larger  before  Noel  in  the  dim  light.  It 
was  plain  that  the  man  was  not  in  any  fear, 
and  his  deep,  guttural  voice  produced  a  pe- 
culiar effect  upon  the  listening  young  soldier. 

Noel  glanced  hastily  about  him,  somehow 
fearful  now  of  others  approaching  from  the 
barns.  He  had  heard  numerous  stories  con- 
cerning the  bowie-knives  with  which  it  had 
been  reported  many  of  the  Southern  soldiers 
were  armed.  To  the  imagination  of  the  young 
soldier  not  only  did  the  size  of  the  man  who 
had  halted  before  him  seem  to  increase,  but 
now  he  was  fearful  of  enemies  approaching 
from  the  rear.  With  all  his  heart  he  wished 
that  he  had  never  listened  to  the  words  of 
Nick.  In  his  alarm  it  seemed  almost  as  if  his 
cap  was  being  lifted  by  his  hair  and  cold 
chills  were  passing  up  and  down  his  spine. 

The  strange  man  slowly  advanced,  and  in 


114    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

a  manner  which  still  betrayed  more  of  curi- 
osity than  of  fear  came  closer  to  the  fright- 
ened young  soldier  and  looked  intently  into 
his  face. 

"  Who  are  you,  sir?  "  he  demanded  coolly. 
"  What  are  you  doing  out  here  at  this  time 
of  the  night?" 

"  That 's  just  what  I  was  going  to  ask  you/' 
spoke  up  Noel,  determined  to  be  as  bold  as 
circumstances  permitted. 

"  Oh  ! "  the  giant  replied  in  unchanged 
tones.  "  I  thought  I  heard  some  disturbance 
among  the  cattle  and  I  came  out  to  see  if  any- 
thing was  wrong." 

When  the  man  spoke,  he  advanced  as  if  he 
was  about  to  pass  the  young  soldier  and  enter 
the  house.  He  was  walking  with  a  slow,  calm, 
and  almost  measured  stride. 

He  had,  however,  gone  but  a  few  yards  be- 
fore he  halted  once  more,  and  turning  again 
toward  the  young  soldier  remarked  in  an  in- 
different way,  "  'T  is  a  pretty  evening,  sir." 

Noel  was  well  aware  that  the  evening  was 
being  far  from  "  pretty."  The  darkness  still 
was  intense  and  the  dampness  which  had  fol- 
lowed the  storm  had  produced  a  chill  under 
which  the  lad  was  shivering. 

Taken  aback  by  the  cool  assurance  of  the 


THE   GIANT  115 

giant,  when  tbe  man  resumed  his  walk,  he 
had  advanced  halfway  to  the  house  before 
Noel  again  hailed  him.  "  Look  here,  my 
friend,"  he  called ;  "  I  'm  sorry  to  detain  you, 
but  the  captain  might  wish  to  see  you." 

"  Well?  "  inquired  the  giant  in  a  drawling 
tone. 

"  Who  lives  in  this  house  ? "  demanded 
Noel. 

"I  do." 

"  Is  this  house  frame  or  brick  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  why  it  concerns  you,  but 
it 's  a  frame  house,  not  a  brick." 

"  Are  you  the  owner  of  this  house  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  am." 

"  What  are  you  doing  out  here  this  time  of 
night?" 

"  I  told  you,  sir,  that  I  went  out  to  quiet  a 
disturbance  among  the  cattle." 

"  Can  you  tell  me  where  Mr.  Hilton  lives  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Where  does  he  live  ?  " 

"  He  lives  here." 

"  Are  you  Mr.  Hilton  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  that 's  what  my  neighbors  some- 
times call  me." 

"  Are  you  a  Union  man  ?  " 

"How  does  that  concern  you?"  demanded 


116    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  man,  still  without  betraying,  any  signs 
either  of  fear  or  interest. 

"  Because  I  'm  a  Union  soldier  myself." 

Still  the  interest  of  the  man  apparently  was 
not  aroused.  Calmly  he  asked,  "  And  what 
may  you  want  of  me  if  you  're  what  you  say 
you  are  ?  " 

"  If  you  '11  take  me  into  the  house  I  '11  ex- 
plain to  you."  Noel  glanced  about  as  he 
spoke,  for  the  fear  of  men  stealing  upon  him 
through  the  darkness  was  still  strong  upon 
him. 

"  I  reckon  we  can  talk  where  we  are,"  said 
the  man  at  last. 

"  Well,"  said  Noel,  determined,  now  that 
he  had  revealed  his  identity,  that  he  would 
venture  to  tell  the  rest  of  his  story.  "  I  came 
through  the  valley  from  Harper's  Ferry  and 
was  taken  prisoner  by  some  of  the  Johnnies, 
but  managed  to  get  away.  I  have  been  travel- 
ing all  night  long  and  am  soaked  through  and 
tired  and  hungry,  and  if  you're  what  I  under' 
stand  you  are,  a  friend  of  the  Union  cause,  I 
hope  you  '11  take  me  into  your  house  and  let 
me  dry  my  clothes  and  give  me  something  to 
eat  —  " 

"  And  bring  a  dozen  bands  of  Confederates 
around  me  like  hornets,"  broke  in  the  man, 


THE   GIANT  117 

though  still  he  was  not  excited  and  was  speak- 
ing in  the  calm,  deliberate  tones  which  he  had 
before  used.  "  I  have  had  trouble  enough  with 
my  secesh  neighbors.  How  do  I  know  who  you 
are  or  that  you  are  what  you  tell  me  you  are  ?  " 
he  demanded  once  more. 

"  You  can  see  for  yourself  when  we  go 
where  there  is  a  light.'' 

"  I  reckon  you  can  come  in,"  said  the  man 
at  last ;  and  eagerly  Noel  followed  him  as  he 
led  the  way  into  the  house. 

As  soon  as  they  entered,  the  stranger  seated 
himself  near  the  door  and  bade  Noel  take  a 
chair  near  him.  A  candle  had  been  lighted 
and  placed  upon  a  rude  table,  and  its  beams 
enabled  the  young  soldier  to  see  more  clearly 
the  strange  man  before  him.  In  spite  of  his 
apparent  indifference  Noel  was  suspicious  that 
he  was  more  excited  than  he  cared  to  have 
his  visitor  know. 

"  What 's  all  this  rumpus  ?  " 

Noel  looked  up  as  he  heard  the  words  shrilly 
spoken  and  saw  a  woman  standing  in  the  door- 
way of  a  room  which  adjoined  the  kitchen. 

"  Who 's  this  yo'  have  brought  home,  Jim  ?  " 
she  asked  of  Noel's  host.  Her  words  plainly 
were  disturbing.  She  was  a  short,  stout  wo- 
man.   Her  hair  was  hanging  down  her  back, 


118    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

and  around  her  shoulders  was  a  shawl  which 
reached  almost  to  her  knees. 

Startled  as  Noel  had  been  by  the  sound  of 
her  voice,  he  hastily  concluded,  as  soon  as  he 
was  aware  of  the  response  which  the  tall  man 
made  to  her  words,  that  if  he  was  supposedly 
the  head  of  the  house,  evidently  she  controlled 
the  head. 

"  That 's  just  like  yo',"  she  said  tartly. 
"  I  've  got  all  the  mouths  I  want  to  feed  now, 
and  yo'  keep  bringing  people  in  here  —  " 

"  Sh-h-h,  Sairy  Ann.  This  yere  man  is  a 
Union  soldier  —  " 

"  How  do  yo'  know  he  is  ?  " 

"  He  told  me  so." 

"  Yo'  can't  believe  everybody,"  said  the 
woman.  "  Ever  since  all  this  trouble  with  the 
secesh  began,  nobody  can  trust  his  best  friend. 
If  I  had  my  way  about  it,  I  would  put  some- 
body in  command  of  the  Union  soldiers  that 
would  do  something.  They  would  n't  be  run- 
nin'  at  Bull  Run  the  way  they  did,  and  I 
reckon  Pope  led  the  way,  too,  and  probably 
made  better  time  than  any  of  them.  Before 
McClellan  gets  his  eyes  open,  I  reckon  the 
whole  o'  Maryland  and  Harper's  Ferry,  too, 
will  run  to  join  Lee's  army.  Pretty  kind  of 
men  we  have  fighting  for  the  Union  !    How 


THE   GIANT  119 

do  yo'  know  he  is  a  Union  soldier  ?  "  she  re- 
peated. 

"  If  you  '11  hold  the  candle  you  can  see  for 
yourself,  if  there  's  any  of  the  cloth  of  my 
uniform  that  will  show  through  the  mud/' 
said  Noel  good-naturedly. 

In  spite  of  her  apparent  harshness,  the 
young  soldier  was  convinced  that  she  was  not 
so  unfriendly  as  her  words  at  first  implied. 

Taking  him  at  his  word,  the  woman  ad- 
vanced, and  holding  the  candle  above  her 
head  looked  keenly  at  the  intruder.  "  Yo' 
don't  look  so  dreadful  deceitful/'  she  admit- 
ted, "  but  a  body  never  can  tell.  Fine  feathers 
sometimes  make  fine  birds,  and  maybe  yo'  put 
on  those  clothes  because  yo'  want  to  get  into 
our  house.  Jim  has  the  name  of  being  a  friend 
of  the  Union,  but  he  's  just  about  as  lively  as 
McClellan.  I  had  to  make  him  go  out  to  see 
what  was  the  matter  with  the  cattle.  They  are 
all  right,  are  they,  Jim  ?  "  she  demanded, 
turning  once  more  to  the  man  who  plainly 
was  her  husband. 

"  Yas,  Sairy  Ann,"  he  replied ;  "  I  reckon 
they  got  a  bit  restless  endurin'  the  storm." 

"  Yo'  did  n't  see  any  signs  of  men  being 
around  ?  " 

"  This  is  the  only  man  I  saw." 


120     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIETAM 

"  Well,  they  will  be  here  pretty  quick,  I 
reckon,"  she  declared.  "  If  the  secesh  find 
out  that  there  is  a  cow  left  on  the  place  they 
will  come  for  it.  I  reckon  they  have  been  here 
already.  Jim  isn't  much  of  a  protection,  ex- 
cept to  look  at,"  she  added,  turning  again  to 
her  visitor. 

Under  other  circumstances  Noel  would  have 
laughed  at  her  words,  for  the  huge  Jim  plainly 
was  in  full  subjection  to  the  little  woman  who 
was  talking  so  volubly. 

"  What  did  yo'  stop  here  for  ? "  she  ab- 
ruptly demanded. 

"  I  have  been  running  almost  all  night," 
explained  Noel,  "and  I  found  a  negro  out 
here.  He  said  that  Mr.  Hilton  was  a  friend  of 
the  Union.  I  thought  morning  would  be  here 
pretty  soon  and  I  didn't  know  just  where  to 
go.  I'raa  stranger  in  this  part  of  the  country." 

"  Whare  yo'  from  ?  "  asked  the  woman. 

"  New  York  State." 

"  I  reckon  that 's  a  right  sma't  way  from 
here.  Well,  I  won't  turn  yo'  out  if  yo'  are  the 
first  cousin  to  Beelzebub  such  a  night  as  this. 
Are  you  hungry  ?  " 

"  I  am.  But  I  won't  disturb  you.  If  you  '11 
let  me  lie  down  here  on  the  floor,  I  '11  wait 
until  you  have  your  breakfast." 


THE  GIANT  121 

"Yo'll  do  nothin'  of  the  kind,"  said  the 
woman  brusquely. 

" Do  you  want  me  to  leave  now?" 

"  Who  said  anything  about  your  leavin'?  " 
she  demanded  sharply. 

"I  did,"  said  Noel. 

"  Well,  I  'm  goin'  to  dry  yo'  out  first. 
Yo'  're  one  mass  of  mud  from  head  to  heels. 
Yo'  all  go  into  that  room,"  she  added,  point- 
ing as  she  spoke  to  another  little  room  that 
opened  out  of  the  kitchen,  "  and  put  your 
clothes  outside  the  door.  I  reckon  I  '11  have  to 
bake  'em,  before  I  ever  can  get  'em  clean." 

The  woman's  friendliness  was  so  manifest 
that  in  spite  of  his  suspicions  Noel  promptly 
decided  to  obey. 

"  Don't  yo'  be  afraid,"  continued  the  wo- 
man, when  Noel  at  last  had  carried  out  her 
directions,  and  had  thrown  his  soaked  and 
muddy  uniform  outside  the  door,  as  she  had 
suggested.  "I'm  goin'  to  look  out  for  yo'. 
Yo'  are  n't  much  more  'n  a  baby,  anyway.  I 
wonder  that  your  mother  should  ever  let  yo' 
come  so  far  away  from  home.  Much  good  yo' 
can  do,  fighting  these  secesh !  Now,  yo'  get 
into  bed  and  when  I  have  your  breakfast 
cooked  I  '11  set  it  here  by  the  door.  Yo'  can 
help  yourself  then,  and  after  yo'  have  had  all 


122    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

yo'  want,  yo'  get  back  into  bed  an'  stay  there 
until  I  tell  yo'  to  get  up.  I  'm  thinkin'  the 
bed  is  about  as  safe  a  place  as  yo'  can  find 
in  these  days.  It 's  been  nothin'  but  soldiers 
marchin'  up  and  down,  back  and  forth,  in 
and  out,  to  and  fro,  for  the  past  week !  They 
seem  to  be  goin'  about  like  old  Satan  and 
roarin'  like  a  lion  seekin'  whom  they  may 
devour." 

The  tall  host  whom  Noel  had  followed  into 
the  house  had  remained  seated  near  the  door 
throughout  the  interview.  In  spite  of  his  indif- 
ferent manner,  the  young  soldier  was  startled 
when  several  times  he  was  suspicious  that  the 
man  was  listening  for  the  approach  of  some 
one.  He  glanced  frequently  toward  the  door, 
and  there  was  an  air  of  anxiety  or  expectation 
in  every  movement  he  made.  However,  Noel 
had  been  so  tired  and  now  was  so  refreshed 
by  the  simple  food  which  the  woman  soon  pro- 
vided for  him  that  he  dismissed  his  fears  from 
his  mind  and  soon  was  sleeping  soundly. 

He  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  voices  in 
the  adjoining  room.  It  was  daylight  now  and 
his  bedroom  was  flooded  with  sunshine.  It 
was,  however,  the  conversation  in  the  kitchen 
that  chiefly  interested  the  young  soldier,  and 
in  a  brief  time  he  was  keenly  excited  by  what 


THE   GIANT  123 

he  heard.  He  looked  about  the  room  for  his 
uniform,  but  it  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

Meanwhile  from  the  parts  of  the  conver- 
sation which  he  overheard,  he  was  convinced 
that  the  visitor  was  a  soldier  in  the  Confeder- 
ate army. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

FRIENDS    OF   THE   UNION 

Noel's  excitement  gave  place  to  alarm  as  he 
listened  to  the  conversation  in  which  the  two 
men  were  engaged. 

The  lack  of  his  uniform  prevented  him  from 
trying  to  leave  his  room,  and  as  yet  he  was 
uncertain  whether  or  not  the  visitor  even 
was  aware  that  a  young  soldier  of  the  Union 
was  in  the  house. 

For  a  time  Noel  listened  intently,  striving 
to  discover  something  which  would  give  him 
the  information  he  desired ;  but  the  words  of 
the  visitor,  whose  part  in  the  conversation  was 
much  greater  than  that  of  his  tall  host,  did 
not  imply  that  he  was  suspicious. 

There  were  moments  when  snatches  of  the 
conversation  almost  convinced  Noel  that  the 
man  was  a  spy.  It  was  plain  that  he  was  more 
or  less  familiar  with  the  conditions  existing 
in  the  Union  army,  but  how  he  had  obtained 
such  detailed  information  was  something  the 
listening  young  soldier  was  unable  to  explain. 

"  Where  is  McClellan  now  ?  "  inquired  Jim. 


FRIENDS   OF  THE   UNION  125 

"  Up  near  Frederick  City." 

"What 'she  doin'  there?" 

"What  has  he  been  doin,  ever  since  he 
has  been  made  commander? "  laughed  the 
visitor.  u  He 's  waiting  that 's  what  he  is,  and 
if  he  keeps  it  up  a  little  longer  he  won't  have 
any  more  waitin'  to  do." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"Because  our  army  will  snap  him  up  between 
its  jaws.  I  reckon  there  were  n't  many  men  in 
the  whole  army  of  General  Lee  who  thought 
it  was  a  good  thing  to  divide  his  forces  as  he 
did  when  he  sent  McLaws  and  Walker  after 
Martinsburg  and  Harper's  Ferry.  Why,  man 
alive,  Lee  split  his  army  right  in  two,  and  then 
put  a  good  bit  of  distance  between  the  two 
parts !  If  McClellan  knew  enough  about  it, 
and  if  he  is  very  much  of  a  general  he  would 
know,  he  would  throw  his  whole  force  against 
either  of  these  divisions  and  smash  it  to  pieces, 
before  the  other  could  come  to  its  help.  As  it 
is,  he's  still  tryin'  to  make  up  his  mind,  I 
reckon,  and  the  result  is  that  he 's  goin'  to  be 
caught  between  these  two  divisions  just  like 
a  mouse  is  caught  between  the  jaws  of  a  cat. 
We  have  got  him  just  as  shore  as  you  are 
born." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  said  Jim  slowly. 


126    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

66  It  does  n't  make  any  difference  whether 
you  believe  it  or  not,  that  's  what 's  going  to 
happen ,"  laughed  the  visitor. 

"  Now  you  say  that  Stuart's  cavalry  has 
been  thrown  out  in  such  a  way  that  little  Mac 
can't  get  any  information  about  what  Lee's 
plans  are  ?  " 

"  That 's  true  enough,  and  yet,  if  McClellan 
had  even  a  few  men  like  those  that  are  get- 
tin'  information  for  General  Lee,  he  ought  to 
know  about  it." 

Noel  fancied  he  could  detect  an  importance 
in  the  words  just  spoken  which  confirmed  him 
in  his  belief  that  the  man  in  the  other  room 
was  a  spy  from  Lee's  army.  His  excitement 
increased  as  his  conviction  gained  in  power, 
and  he  almost  groaned  as  he  realized  how 
helpless  he  was.  Deprived  of  his  uniform, 
without  any  weapon  of  defense,  he  was  power- 
less to  interfere  with  the  man  or  his  plans. 

u  I  reckon  Little  Mac  will  give  a  good  ac- 
count of  himself  befo'  long,"  said  Jim  posi- 
tively. 

"  He  '11  have  to  make  haste  about  it,  then. 
He  left  Washin'ton  with  an  army  of  nearly 
eighty-five  thousand  men.  He  ought  to  do 
something  with  such  a  body  as  that.  Why, 
only  last  night,  if  he  had  made  a  night  march, 


FRIENDS  OF  THE  UNION  127 

he  mought  have  got  in  possession  of  both 
Gaps  —  " 

"What  Gaps?" 

"Why,  Crampton's  Gap  and  Turner's. 
He's  lost  his  chance,  though." 

"  You  know  a  right  sma't  lot,  don't  you  ?  " 
inquired  Jim. 

"  That 's  my  business." 

"  Well,  I  have  n't  any  curiosity  about  this 
thing,"  said  Jim,  shaking  his  head  slowly  as 
he  spoke.  "  I  'm  satisfied  to  stay  right  here 
and  be  true  to  the  old  flag.  There  comes  Sairy 
Ann,"  he  added,  as  Noel  heard  the  sounds  of 
the  voices  of  women  approaching  from  the 
stairway,  which  the  night  before  he  had  seen 
was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room.  It  was 
manifest  now  that  Sairy  Ann  also  had  her 
visitor,  and  as  the  two  women  entered  the 
room  both  men  became  silent. 

u  I  done  tole  yo'  how  it  is,"  Sairy  Ann  was 
saying.  "  I  've  said  to  yo'  many  times,  'Liza, 
that  I  would  n't  stand  for  no  sech  foolishness. 
I  don'  like  the  secesh.  I  never  did  and  I  never 
shall,  and  if  yo'  're  determined  to  be  secesh 
yourself,  then  yo'  '11  have  to  take  the  conse- 
quences !  I  don't  mind  tellin'  yo'  all  as  how 
I  hev  made  my  will." 

"  Hev  ye  ?  "  inquired  the  other  woman,  the 


128     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT  ANTIETAM 

tones  of  her  voice  implying  that  she  was  at 
once  deeply  interested. 

"  Yes,  I  hev,  and  instead  of  leaving  yo'  all 
the  money  I  promised  yo',  I've  willed  yo'  a 
pair  o'  my  shoestrings." 

"I  don'  believe  yo'  hev  done  any  sech  thing, 
Sairy  Ann  ! "  protested  the  other  woman. 

"  I  don't  care  whether  yo'  believe  it  or  not. 
That 's  jest  exactly  what  I  hev  done.  I  hev 
set  it  down  pertic'lar,  —  6  To  my  oldest  sister, 
'Liza,  I  give,  bequeath  and  leave  and  likewise 
devise  one  pair  of  shoestrings.' ' 

"  Well,  I  'd  rather  hev  a  pair  of  shoestrings 
and  be  loyal  to  my  State  than  I  would  to  hev 
all  your  money  and  be  a  Yank." 

"  Of  course,  you  would,  'Liza,"  snapped 
Sairy  Ann.  "  That 's  because  yo'  don't  know 
no  mo'.  If  yo'  knew  mo',  yo'  wouldn't  talk 
sech  nonsense." 

Whether  or  not  the  woman's  argument  was 
deemed  sufficient,  at  all  events  the  conversa- 
tion abruptly  ceased  when  the  visiting  man 
said,  "  Now,  I  hev  come  f  o'  yo'  yere,  'Liza, 
and  I  don't  intend  to  stay  very  long.  You 
hev  got  to  make  up  your  mind  right  sma't 
whether  yo'  're  goin'  to  come  with  me,  or 
whether  yo'  're  going  to  stay  here  with  your 
sister." 


FRIENDS   OF  THE  UNION  129 

"That's  right,"  sobbed  Eliza.  "That's 
right.  First  Sairy  Ann  picks  on  me  and  then 
my  own  husband  he  picks  on  me,  too.  I'm  jest 
distracted.  I  don't  want  to  stay  and  I  don't 
want  to  go." 

"  Yo'  're  as  bad  as  McClellan,"  broke  in 
her  husband.  "  I  've  come  ten  miles  out  o'  my 
way  just  toe  get  yo'  and  take  yo'  home,  if  yo' 
don't  want  toe  stay  yere.  If  yo'  think  yo'  '11 
be  safer  along  with  these  Yankee  sympath- 
izers, why  jes'  say  so  and  stay  yere.  It  does  n't 
matter  very  much  toe  me  either  way.  The 
only  Yanks  I  can  put  up  with  are  Jim  and 
Sairy  Ann,  and  I  would  n't  put  up  with  them 
very  long  if  we  all  were  n't  members  of  the 
same  family." 

"  I  expect  to  be  shot  by  the  secesh,  any- 
way," broke  in  Sairy  Ann,  <(  and  I  hope  yo' 
'11  go  because  I  don't  want  to  get  shot  by  any 
o'  my  folks." 

"  We  're  goin'  toe  go,"  said  the  man. 

To  Noel's  great  relief  preparations  for  de- 
parture were  at  once  made. 

It  was  not  until  the  man  and  his  wife  had 
left,  however,  that  the  mistress  of  the  house 
brought  the  waiting  young  soldier  his  uni- 
form. Tossing  it  inside  the  room,  she  called 
out  in  a  voice,  which  in  spite  of  its  sharpness 


130    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

was  not  unfriendly,  "  There 's  yer  soldier 
clothes.  Yo'  all  can  put  them  on  and  come 
out  and  get  your  breakfast." 

Only  a  brief  time  had  elapsed  before  the 
summons  had  been  obeyed  by  Noel,  and  re- 
freshed by  the  rest  of  the  night  and  the 
clothes  which  Sairy  Ann  had  made  thoroughly 
presentable,  he  entered  the  kitchen. 

The  tall  form  of  the  gaunt  head  of  the 
house  seemed  to  Noel  to  be  even  taller  than 
when  he  had  first  seen  it  in  the  dim  light  of 
the  preceding  night.  The  expression  of  the 
man's  face  was  so  doleful  that  the  young  sol- 
dier felt  a  fresh  sympathy  for  the  sharp-toned 
woman  for  whom  her  husband's  slow  and  un- 
decided ways  were  a  constant  source  of  irri- 
tation. As  for  Sairy  Ann  herself,  Noel  saw 
that  her  hair  was  of  the  tinge  which  is  some- 
times associated  with  certain  warlike  propen- 
sities and  also  that  she  was  cross-eyed.  Indeed, 
the  young  soldier  decided  that  never  before 
had  he  seen  any  one  whose  eyes  to  all  appear- 
ances might  each  serve  the  duty  and  the  place 
of  the  other.  He  was  uncertain  when  she 
spoke  to  him  whether  or  not  she  was  looking 
at  him,  and  he  was  somehow  awrare  that  the 
woman  was  keenly  aware  of  the  impression 
which  she  made  upon  him. 


FRIENDS   OF  THE   UNION  131 

However,  his  feeling  of  hunger  was  now 
supreme,  and  as  so:>n  as  he  was  bidden  to 
take  his  place  at  the  table,  he  began  to  do 
ample  justice  to  the  simple  fare  which  was 
provided.  The  manifest  curiosity  of  the  wo- 
man was  to  have  no  occasion  for  gratification 
until  the  meal  was  more  than  half  done.  Then, 
unable  longer  to  restrain  her  feelings,  she  ab- 
ruptly inquired,  "  Now,  then,  what  yo'  all 
doin'  here  ?  " 

"  Just  now  I  'm  doin'  my  best  to  get  ready 
to  leave." 

"  Did  yo'  all  hear  any  voices  this  mornin'  ?" 
inquired  Jim  slowly. 

Aware  that  the  interest  of  the  woman  in 
his  reply  was  keen,  Noel  said,  "  Why,  T  heard 
some  talk.  Was  there  anything  of  special  in- 
terest?" 

"  Naw.  I  reckon  nothin'  what  would  be 
interestin'  to  yo'  all,"  said  Jim. 

"  Hey !  "  exclaimed  Sairy  Ann  suddenly. 
tc  Here  comes  the  Jew  peddler.  He  was  here 
day  before  yesterday.  I  told  him  then  I  did  n't 
want  anything,  and  I  don't  see  what  for  he 
comes  around  here  pestering  us  again." 

Noel  looked  up  quickly  as  she  spoke,  and 
saw  the  peddler  standing  in  the  doorway  of 
the  kitchen. 


132    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Instantly  he  recognized  the  trader  as  Levi 
Kadoff,  the  sutler  whose  experiences  in  the 
camp  had  been  of  such  a  trying  nature  that 
he  had  departed  with  many  threats  for  the 
mischievous  soldiers  who  had  tormented  him. 

He  was  positive  that  the  peddler  also  recog- 
nized him,  although  not  a  word  was  spoken 
by  either. 

Entering  the  room,  Levi  whiningly  begged 
the  woman  to  make  some  purchases. 

"  I  don't  want  nothing"  declared  Sairy  Ann. 
a  I  told  yo'  so  yesterday  and  day  befo'  when 
yo'  were  here.  Yo'  ought  to  take  better  care 
of  yo'self  than  to  be  here  where  there  's  so 
many  soldiers  so  near.  Suppose  yo'  got  caught 
right  in  the  middle  of  the  fight  ?  " 

"Dere  vill  be  no  fight,"  said  Levi  posi- 
tively. 

"  How  do  yo'  know  there  won't  ?  " 

"  Because  dere  vill  not  be  any." 

"  But  how  do  yo'  know  ? "  protested  the 
woman. 

"  Dot  is  vat  der  men  says." 

"  What  men?" 

"  All  kinds  of  men.  Now,  please,  mine  goot 
voman,  let  me  show  you  vat  fine  spectacles 
that  I  have?" 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  "  demanded 


FRIENDS   OF  THE  UNION  133 

Sairy  Ann,  abruptly  rising  from  her  seat  and 
facing  the  little  peddler.  "  Yo'  ain't  gettin' 
personal,  be  ye  ?  What  makes  yo'  think  I 
need  glasses  ?  " 

"  Spectacles  is  all  der  styles  now.  I  sells 
more  glasses  to  young  vimmins  than  I  do  to 
der  old  vimmins." 

Appeased  by  the  explanation,  the  hostess 
resumed  her  seat,  and  a  few  minutes  later, 
when  the  little  Jew  displayed  certain  ribbons 
in  his  wares,  Sairy  Ann  hesitated  and  was 
lost,  much  to  the  disgust  of  the  elongated  Jim. 
She  invested  some  "  real  Yankee  money  "  in 
several  strips  of  bright  yellow  ribbon,  doubt- 
less selecting  this  particular  color  because  she 
fancied  it  would  match  both  her  hair  and  her 
eyes,  for  now  Noel  was  aware  that  even  her 
eyes  shared  in  the  tawny  color  of  her  hair 
and  skin. 

By  the  time  the  trading  was  completed, 
Noel  had  finished  his  breakfast  and  was  eager 
to  be  gone.  He  was  desirous  also  of  having 
some  conversation  with  Levi,  when  later  the 
little  peddler,  after  one  searching  glance  at 
the  face  of  the  young  soldier,  left  the  place 
and  Noel  abruptly  decided  to  go  with  him. 

Thanking  his  hostess  for  her  kindness  in 
receiving  and  caring  for  him,  he  shook  hands 


134    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

with  her  and  her  husband  and  taking  his  cap 
left  the  house. 

Calling  to  Levi  to  wait  for  him  to  join  him, 
he  soon  was  in  the  road  where  the  sutler  was 
standing.  Advancing  to  his  side,  Noel  pre- 
pared to  accompany  the  little  peddler  on  his 
way,  a  decision  which  within  a  short  time  he 
had  cause  deeply  to  regret. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE    SUTLER   AS    A    GUIDE 

"  Vat  you  do  here  ?  "  inquired  Levi  suspic- 
iously as  the  two  departed  down  the  road. 

"  That 's  just  what  I  was  going  to  ask  you." 

"  You  see.  You  see  for  yourself,"  repeated 
the  sutler,  pointing  as  he  spoke  to  the  pack 
which  he  was  carrying  upon  his  back. 

"What  have  you  in  that  pack?" 

"  Somedings  to  sell." 

"What?" 

"Many  dings." 

"  I  should  n't  think  you  would  have  any- 
body to  sell  these  things  to,  now  that  both 
armies  are  so  near." 

"  It  is  von  beeg  drouble,"  said  Levi,  shaking 
his  head.  "  Dere  vas  no  chance.  Eferybody 
cares  not  for  mine  laces  —  " 

"  '  Laces ! '  I  should  think  this  would  be  the 
last  place  in  the  world  where  you  could  sell 
such  things  as  that,"  broke  in  Noel.  "  What 
do  people  down  here  want  of  laces,  especially 
when  they  are  likely  to  be  caught  between  the 
two  armies  any  time  ?  " 


136     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

"  I  lose  money  efery  day,"  said  Levi,  dis- 
consolately. 

"  Why  do  you  stay,  then  ?  "  demanded  Noel. 
"If  you  cannot  make  any  money,  you  cer- 
tainly don't  stay  here  for  pleasure,  do  you  ?  " 

"  But,"  protested  Levi,  spreading  both  hands 
as  he  spoke,  "  a  man  has  to  live,  ain't  it  ?  " 

"  Levi,  I  believe  you  have  lots  of  money," 
said  Noel  soberly. 

"Nein  !  No  !  Not  von  penny." 

"  Then  how  can  you  live  if  you  are  losing 
money  every  day  ?  You  must  have  something 
on  which  to  draw." 

"  But  I  must  live,"  protested  Levi.  "  I  must 
get  some  money.  Perhaps  I  don't  got  it  to- 
day, maybe  I  gets  it  to-morrow." 

"  Where  have  you  been,  Levi,  since  you  left 
camp?" 

"  I  haf  been  just  vere  you  sees  me.  I  haf 
been  to  efery  house,  but  nobody  buys  mine 
laces.  I  dinks  vot  I  haf  to  go  North  pretty 
soon.  Nobody  here  has  any  money." 

"  Have  you  seen  anything  of  Stuart's  cav- 
alry?" 

The  quick  side  glance  which  Levi  gave  him, 
although  the  eyes  of  the  little  Jew  were  in- 
stantly turned  away  again,  was  not  lost  upon 
Noel.  Always  suspicious  of  the  little  sutler,  he 


THE  SUTLER  AS   A  GUIDE  137 

had  now  become  sure  that  there  were  more 
than  suspicions  upon  which  his  fears  rested. 

"  Who  vas  Stuart's  cavalry  ?  " 

Noel  laughed,  but  did  not  reply  to  the  ques- 
tion. 

"  Haf  you  seen  somedings  of  dot  Irish- 
mans  ?"  inquired  the  peddler. 

"What  Irishman?" 

"Dot  young  Irishmans  vot  tormented  me. 
He  upsets  mine  tent.  He  makes  der  poys  turn 
over  mine  trunks.  He  steals  vot  is  mine,  vot 
is  mine  ! " 

The  fierce  anger  of  the  little  Jew  was  almost 
pathetic,  and  despite  his  declaration,  Noel  was 
aware  that  much  justice,  perhaps,  was  in  his 
complaint,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
charged  the  boys  of  the  regiment  exorbitant 
prices  for  his  poor  and  cheap  supplies. 

"Do  you  mean  Dennis  O'Hara?"  asked 
Noel  quickly. 

"  Dat  vas  it.  Dat  vas  his  name,  —  Dennis. 
Haf  you  seen  him  maybe?  " 

"  No,  I  have  n't.  Have  you  ?  " 

"How  should  I  see  him?"  inquired  Levi. 
"I  haf  leave  der  camp.  I  haf  nodings  more  to 
do  mit  der  soldiers.  I  goes  now  from  house  to 
house." 

"Have  you  seen  him? "again  asked  Noel. 


138    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  I  'm  telling  7011/'  protested  the  sutler.  "  I 
don't  go  vere  de  Yankee  soldiers  be." 

"If  you  don't  look  out  the  Yankee  soldiers 
will  come  where  you  are." 

Noel  spoke  indifferently,  but  he  was  keenly 
watching  the  face  of  his  companion.  The 
quick,  shifting  glance  which  Levi  instantly 
gave  him  somehow  served  to  strengthen  the 
conviction  in  the  heart  of  the  young  soldier 
that  the  little  peddler  was  playing  a  suspicious 
if  not  a  double  part. 

"  You  did  n't  tell  me,"  he  said,  "whether  or 
not  you  have  seen  Dennis  O'Hara  anywhere." 

"  I  vould  like  mooch  to  see  him.  I  vould 
like  to  see  him  mit  a  rope  around  his  neck.  I 
vould  like  to  be  der  von  to  pull  on  der  rope. 
I  vill  do  so  to  him,"  he  added  in  his  excite- 
ment, as  he  stretched  forth  both  hands  and 
pulled  vigorously  upon  an  imaginary  rope. 

"Here,  where  are  you  going?"  demanded 
Noel  abruptly,  as  his  companion  turned  from 
the  road  to  enter  a  lane  which  led  toward  a 
house  partly  concealed  by  magnolia  trees  far 
back  from  the  road. 

"To  der  house,"  answered  Levi.  "To  der 
beeg  house." 

"Why  are  you  going  in  there?" 

"  I  vill  sell  somedings." 


THE   SUTLER  AS   A   GUIDE  139 

"  It  does  n't  look  as  if  anybody  is  home/' 
suggested  Noel. 

The  young  soldier  was  striving  to  lead  his 
companion  on  and  draw  from  him  information 
which  he  suspected  the  little  Jew  possessed. 
As  he  spoke  he  was  keenly  observant  of  the 
house  and  grounds,  but  as  yet  had  not  seen  any 
signs  of  life  about  the  place. 

u  Der  vas  only  vimmins  dere." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Because  I  vas  dere  de  oder  day.  Dey  vas 
tolt  me  dey  vill  buy  somedings  ven  I  comes 
back.  So  now  I  'm  comes  back  and  I  shall 
sell  somedings." 

"  You  say  there  are  no  men  there  ?  " 

"  Der  men  vas  all  gone  mid  der  army." 

" Which  army?" 

"  How  should  I  know  ?  "  demanded  the  ped- 
dler irritably.  "  I  sells  to  der  vimmin." 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  go  with  you?" 

"Yes.  You  come.  It  vill  interest  der  vim- 
mins. You  come  mit  me  and  I  vill  go  on  mit 
you  and  show  you  der  way  to  Frederick  City." 

Noel  was  unarmed,  but  he  saw  no  reason  to 
doubt  the  words  of  his  companion.  If  the 
place  was  deserted  by  the  men  he  would  be  in 
no  danger,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he  might 
be  able  to  obtain  some  food,  even  if  the  women 


140     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

were  sympathizers  with  the  Southern  cause. 
He  was  aware  that  from  many  such  people 
the  sight  of  a  man  clad  in  the  uniform  of  the 
Union  army  was  not  likely  to  bring  a  cordial 
response.  On  the  other  hand,  he  was  unknown, 
and  it  might  be  that  he  could  obtain  food  and 
supplies  that  would  help  him  through  the  day. 
He  was  confident  that  if  he  went  much  farther 
on  his  way,  he  might  have  experiences  that 
would  compel  him  to  remain  in  hiding  part  of 
the  time. 

Slowly  the  two  young  men  approached  the 
great  house.  The  house  itself  was  not  so  large, 
but  the  expression  was  one  which  was  applied 
to  many  homes,  perhaps  to  distinguish  the 
dwelling-place  of  the  master  from  the  quarters 
of  the  negroes. 

As  he  drew  near,  Noel  saw  in  the  rear  of 
the  house  the  quarters  of  the  servants.  There 
were  little  huts  that  had  been  whitewashed, 
and  about  the  place  were  several  little  pick- 
aninnies, whose  presence  indicated  that  some 
of  the  blacks  at  least  were  at  home. 

The  approach  of  the  boys  was  apparently 
unobserved,  and  even  when  they  followed  the 
winding  pathway  toward  the  rear  of  the  house 
no  one  greeted  them. 

Suddenly,  however,  Noel  stopped,  and  looked 


THE  SUTLER  AS  A  GUIDE  141 

in  consternation  at  the  sight  before  him.  Tied 
to  the  hitching-rail  in  the  rear  of  the  house 
he  saw  a  half-dozen  horses. 

Every  horse  was  saddled  and  bridled,  and  in 
an  instant  Noel  was  aware  that  he  had  come 
upon  a  small  band  of  cavalry. 

Startled  as  he  was  by  his  discovery  he  in- 
stantly stopped  and,  after  listening  intently, 
turned  back  over  the  road  which  he  and  Levi 
had  come.  As  he  did  so,  Levi  suddenly  dropped 
his  pack  and  seizing  the  young  soldier  by  his 
coat  began  to  shout  in  his  loudest  tones. 

Frightened  by  the  unexpected  attack,  Noel 
struck  desperately  at  his  tormentor,  and  did 
his  utmost  to  free  himself.  The  little  Jew, 
however,  apparently  unmindful  of  the  blows, 
clung  desperately  to  his  coat,  and  before  Noel 
was  able  to  escape  he  saw  a  half-dozen  men 
run  out  of  the  house  and  start  swiftly  toward 
him. 

One  glance  was  sufficient  to  convince  the 
desperate  boy  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of 
some  of  the  rebel  cavalry.  The  men  were 
armed,  while  he  himself  was  powerless  to  make 
any  defense. 

"  What 's  this,  Levi  ?  "  demanded  the  leader. 

"Who  is  this  man  with  you?  Didn't  I  tell 
you  not  to  let  any  one  come  here?" 


i 

142    THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIETAM 

"  Dis  man  is  von  Union  soldier.  He  helps 
tear  mine  tent.  He  vas  von  vat  steals  mine 
goots.  He  vas  bad.  I  dinks  dat  you  vill  be 
glad  to  haf  a  Yankee  soldier  here,  maybe?" 

"We'll  take  all  the  Yanks  we  can  lay  our 
hands  upon/'  said  the  man  with  a  laugh. 

It  was  plain  that  he  was  relieved  by  the  dis- 
covery that  there  was  only  one  soldier  near  and 
he  only  a  boy.  The  impression,  however,  pro- 
duced on  Noel's  mind  by  the  action  of  the  man 
was  that  there  were  Union  soldiers  not  far 
away.  And  yet,  he  thought  bitterly,  what  ad- 
vantage would  that  be  to  him  now?  He  was 
here,  helpless  to  defend  himself  and  really  a 
prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  rebel  cavalry. 
There  were  momentary  visions  of  Libby  Prison, 
which  he  knew  was  the  destination  of  most  of 
the  Union  soldiers  taken  by  the  Confederates 
in  their  recent  campaigns. 

The  leader  now  turned  to  one  of  his  men  and 
good-naturedly  said,  "Tom,  we  don't  want  to 
take  this  fellow  into  the  house.  I  am  afraid  he 
would  scare  the  babies.  I  '11  leave  him  out  here 
with  you.  Don't  let  him  get  away  from  you." 

It 'was  useless  to  protest,  and  Noel  obedi- 
ently followed  his  guard  as  he  led  the  way  to 
the  rear  of  the  house  near  the  place  where  the 
horses  were  tied.  The  young  soldier  looked 


THE  SUTLER  AS  A   GUIDE  143 

hastily  about  him  to  discover  what  had  become 
of  the  little  sutler,  but  could  not  see  him  any- 
where. Levi  must  have  entered  the  house,  he 
concluded. 

Noel's  thoughts  were  bitter  as  he  recalled 
how  easily  he  had  been  trapped.  The  sutler, 
without  doubt,  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Con- 
federates. Whether  or  not  he  had  been,  at 
the  time  when  he  held  his  place  in  the  Union 
camp  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Noel  had  no  means 
of  knowing ;  but  it  was  plain  that  he  himself 
had  been  led  by  his  guide  into  a  place  from 
which  apparently  there  was  no  escape. 

When  the  soldiers  reentered  the  house  Noel 
seated  himself  on  the  ground  with  his  back 
against  the  post  that  upheld  the  rail  to  which 
three  of  the  horses  were  tied.  In  spite  of  his 
fear  he  looked  with  interest  at  the  mounts  of  the 
men.  Every  horse  manifestly  was  fleet-footed, 
and  in  better  condition  than  one  naturally 
would  expect  such  horses  to  be  at  such  a  time. 

Little  black  faces  began  to  appear,  as  the 
pickaninnies,  led  on  by  their  curiosity,  slowly 
and  cautiously  advanced  from  their  quarters 
to  discover  for  themselves  what  the  meaning 
of  the  excitement  was.  At  another  time  Noel 
would  have  been  interested,  but  now  he  gave 
slight  heed  to  his  approaching  visitors. 


144    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

About  fifteen  feet  from  the  place  where  he 
was  seated  there  was  a  row  of  beehives.  The 
warmth  of  the  September  day  had  caused  the 
busy  little  creatures  to  resume  their  labors  of 
the  summer. 

The  sight  of  them  recalled  to  the  mind  of 
the  troubled  boy  the  beehives  near  his  father's 
house  and  his  thoughts  naturally  wandered 
from  bees  to  the  people  who  were  in  the 
far-away  home.  He  wondered  if  Frank  had 
yet  returned  to  the  army.  He  had  been  as- 
signed to  a  different  corps,  and  it  might  be 
that  he  already  was  with  McClellan.  Would 
he  see  him  at  Frederick  City  ?  The  question 
received  its  own  answer  when  Noel  glanced 
about  him  and  saw  the  guard  and  the  horses 
waiting  for  their  riders.  There  was  slight  pros- 
pect that  he  would  see  his  brother  very  soon. 
Libby  Prison  doubtless  was  to  be  his  destina- 
tion. 

A  half-hour  had  elapsed  since  Noel's  ar- 
rival, and  in  spite  of  his  fear  the  droning  of 
the  bees  sounded  so  monotonously  in  his  ears 
that  it  would  not  have  been  difficult  for  him 
to  close  his  eyes  and  fall  asleep. 

Abruptly  he  sat  erect  and,  facing  his  guard 
said,  "  How  long  are  these  men  going  to  be 
here?" 


THE   SUTLER  AS  A   GUIDE  145 

"I  reckon  yo'  '11  have  to  ask  the  lieutenant, 


sir." 


"  How  long  have  they  heen  here  ?  " 

"  I  can't  just  say,  sir." 

" Do  you  know  where  they  are  going? " 

"No,  sir,  I  don't." 

"  Do  you  know  what  they  will  do  with  me  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  might  suspect,  sir.  There  have 
been  a  right  sma't  lot  of  Yanks  who  have 
had  free  transpo'tation  to  Richmond.  I  reckon 
there  will  be  some  mo',  and  it  may  be  yo'  will 
have  a  chance  to  ride  along  with  them,  sir. 
It  won't  cost  you  a  cent,  sir.  No,  sir,  not  one 
cent." 

"  Do  you  belong  to  Stuart's  cavalry  ? " 
asked  Noel. 

"I  wonder  what's  the  matter  with  the 
Yanks.  They  seem  to  be  so  full  of  questions 
that  the  minute  one  of  them  opens  his  mouth 
they  begin  to  pop  out  the  way  corn  pops  in  a 
popper." 

Noel  abruptly  ceased  his  questioning,  but, 
as  he  glanced  once  more  about  the  quarters, 
suddenly  a  scheme  suggested  itself  to  him,  by 
which  he  might  be  able  to  escape  from  his 
captors.  If  the  plan  was  to  be  tried,  he  must  act 
at  once,  he  decided,  and,  striving  not  to  arouse 
the  suspicions  of  the  guard,  he  slowly  arose. 


CHAPTER  XV 

WARLIKE    BEES 

Slowly,  and  striving  to  appear  indifferent, 
although  he  was  keenly  observant  of  every 
action  of  his  guard,  Noel  began  to  pace  back 
and  forth  behind  the  row  of  horses.  He  was 
well  aware  that,  in  spite  of  the  apparent  care- 
lessness of  his  guard,  he  was  watching  his 
every  action.  Any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
young  prisoner  to  escape  would  at  once  bring 
a  shot  from  the  soldier. 

However,  the  guard  did  not  interfere  with 
the  actions  of  his  prisoner,  and  a  half-dozen 
or  more  times  Noel  slowly  paced  back  and 
forth  as  if  he  was  simply  striving  to  relax  his 
muscles  and  was  ignoring  his  surroundings. 

Not  more  than  twenty  feet  away  from  the 
rail  was  the  row  of  beehives  to  which  refer- 
ence has  been  made.  Several  times  the  young 
prisoner  stopped  and  watched  the  busy  little 
insects  that  were  buzzing  about  the  hives. 
Glancing  each  time  at  the  guard,  he  was  con- 
vinced that  any  suspicions  of  any  plan  his 
charge  might  have  in  mind  as  yet  had  not  been 


WARLIKE  BEES  147 

aroused.  Apparently  the  soldier  was  so  confi- 
dent in  his  ability  to  meet  any  sudden  act  that 
some  of  the  time  he  was  not  even  looking  at 
the  young  prisoner. 

Noel's  excitement  became  keener.  He 
glanced  toward  the  house  to  see  whether  or 
not  any  of  the  Confederates  who  had  entered 
were  now  to  be  seen.  Slowly  he  turned  his 
head  and  looked  once  more  at  his  guard.  The 
man  was  seated  on  the  grass,  and  still  to  all 
appearances  was  indifferent  to  the  actions  of 
his  charge. 

Suddenly  Noel  stumbled  over  the  project- 
ing root  of  a  huge  magnolia  tree  and  fell  di- 
rectly against  the  nearest  hive  in  the  row. 
With  both  hands  he  struck  and  with  such 
force  that  it  was  thrown  against  the  hive  next 
to  it. 

"  Better  look  out  there !  "  called  the  guard, 
when  Noel  arose.  "Some  of  those  bugs  '11 
bite  you,  if  you  don't  watch  out !  " 

Whether  or  not  the  "bugs  would  bite,"  the 
anger  of  the  bees  instantly  became  manifest. 
In  clouds  they  poured  forth  from  the  hives  and 
the  sounds  of  their  buzzing  became  louder. 

Darting  in  every  direction  they  soon  dis- 
covered the  disturber  of  their  dwelling-places, 
and,  aware  of  their  intentions,  Noel  hastily  ran 


148    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

toward  the  guard  and  the  rail  to  which  the 
horses  were  hitched.  To  all  appearances  he 
had  done  this  simply  to  avoid  the  pursuit  of 
the  little  tormentors.  That  he  was  acting  on 
design,  the  guard  did  not  even  suspect.  The 
cloud  of  bees,  however,  did  not  all  abandon 
the  pursuit,  and  as  Noel  halted  near  the  horses, 
the  furious  little  insects,  without  rhyme  or 
reason,  began  an  attack  upon  the  innocent 
animals. 

Pandemonium  instantly  followed.  The 
horses  were  rearing,  plunging,  squealing,  and 
kicking  in  every  direction.  The  actions  seemed 
to  incite  the  attacking  insects  to  still  greater 
anger.  Nor  was  the  guard  himself  free  from 
the  onslaught.  With  muttered  exclamations  of 
anger  and  pain,  he  was  striving  to  ward  off 
the  little  pests  from  his  face  or  prevent  them 
from  stinging  him  on  his  hands  and  wrists. 

Noel  was  doing  his  utmost  to  bear  up  under 
the  suffering  he  himself  was  compelled  to  un- 
dergo. One  bee  had  stung  him  on  the  very  tip 
of  his  nose.  Another  had  attacked  him  under 
his  right  eye,  while  still  another  had  inserted 
his  sting  near  a  corner  of  the  young  soldier's 
mouth. 

Noel  could  feel  his  face  swelling,  but  he 
heroically  strove  to  bear  his  suffering,  and, 


WARLIKE   BEES  149 

although  he  did  his  utmost  to  drive  away  his 
tormentors,  he  nevertheless  was  relying  upon 
the  very  attack  that  had  been  made  to  assist 
him  in  the  plan  which  he  had  formed. 

In  the  midst  of  the  confusion  one  of  the 
horses  broke  loose,  and  with  many  snorts  of 
fear  and  rage  started  swiftly  toward  the  lane. 

The  example  was  contagious  and  a  moment 
later  two  more  horses  freed  themselves  by 
breaking  the  straps  by  which  they  were  tied 
and  followed  in  the  direction  in  which  the 
leader  had  disappeared. 

"  Catch  them  !  Catch  them  !  Help  me ! 
Catch  them ! "  called  the  guard  excitedly. 
"  Why  don't  somebody  come  out  of  the  big 
house?  I  can't  do  everything  myself!  Help 
me !  Never  mind  the  stints !  Don't  let  those 
horses  get  away  !  Rouse  yourself,  Yank  !  " 

"  I  '11  do  my  best,"  called  Noel  loudly,  as 
he  seized  the  bridle  of  one  of  the  remaining 
horses  and  apparently  strove  to  quiet  the  ter- 
rified animal. 

The  horse  with  which  Noel  was  struggling 
was  the  one  in  the  line  which  he  had  noted  as 
being  undoubtedly  the  swiftest  and  best  of 
them  all. 

"  Whoa,  there  !  Keep  quiet !  Be  still,  can't 
you?"  he  called  as  he  slapped  the  plunging 


150    THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIETAM 

horse  on  its  neck  and  then  on  its  flank  as  if 
he  was  protecting  it  from  the  angry  bees. 
Meanwhile,  however,  Noel  had  untied  the  horse 
and  was  holding  the  animal  by  its  bridle. 

At  that  moment  some  of  the  Confederate 
soldiers,  who  had  entered  the  house,  appeared 
at  the  door.  Noel  glanced  anxiously  at  the  men 
and  then  looked  at  the  guard,  who  was  doing 
his  utmost  to  prevent  one  of  the  remaining 
horses  from  escaping. 

The  moment  for  which  he  had  been  waiting 
had  arrived,  the  young  soldier  decided,  and 
whatever  he  did  he  must  do  instantly.  There 
was  no  time  to  be  lost. 

Looking  once  more  toward  the  house,  he 
saw  the  men  call  to  those  who  still  were  in- 
side, and  then  turn  as  if  they  were  about  to 
run  swiftly  to  the  place  where  the  commotion 
was  occurring.  A  single  glance  at  the  guard 
showed  him  that  the  man's  rifle  had  been  laid 
upon  the  grass  and  that  he  was  still  strug- 
gling with  one  of  the  frantic  animals.  Pulling 
upon  the  bridle  of  his  horse  Noel  quietly  had 
worked  the  animal  away  from  its  companions. 
His  horse  had  been  squealing  and  kicking 
more  frantically  than  any  of  the  others.  To  all 
appearances  Noel  was  having  a  severe  struggle 
to  prevent  him  from  breaking  away  and  run- 


WARLIKE   BEES  151 

ning  in  the  direction  in  which  the  other 
horses  had  disappeared. 

The  shouts  of  the  men,  who  now  were  ad- 
vancing from  the  house,  increased  the  con- 
fusion. Doubtless  they  were  unaware  of  the 
source  of  the  trouble  and  might  visit  their 
anger  upon  him,  thought  Noel. 

The  time,  however,  did  not  permit  of  delay. 
He  had  now  worked  his  horse  nearer  the  cor- 
ner of  the  house.  Suddenly  the  young  soldier, 
placing  one  foot  in  the  stirrup,  leaped  lightly 
into  the  saddle,  and  shouting  into  the  ears  of 
his  horse,  turned  around  the  corner  of  the 
house  before  the  startled  band  were  fully  aware 
of  what  had  taken  place. 

The  bees  were  no  longer  in  pursuit.  The 
terrified  animal,  however,  was  still  making 
many  frantic  leaps,  and  Noel  was  compelled  to 
exert  the  utmost  of  his  strength  to  retain  his 
seat.  His  disappearance  was  followed  by  a 
shout  from  the  man,  and  only  a  brief  time 
elapsed  before,  glancing  behind  him,  he  saw 
that  two  of  the  men  were  mounted  and  now 
were  in  swift  pursuit. 

His  hopes  now  were  dependent  upon  the 
speed  of  his  horse  and  the  possible  inability  of 
his  pursuers  to  shoot. 

"Stop,  you  Yank!"  called  one  of  them. 


152    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Stop  where  you  are  !  Stop,  or  we  '11  shoot ! " 
Bending  low  upon  the  neck  of  his  horse, 
Noel  gave  no  heed  to  the  demands  and  con- 
tinually urged  the  beast  into  greater  efforts. 
With  long  and  powerful  leaps  the  horse  was 
bounding  forward.  The  entrance  from  the  lane 
into  the  highway  was  now  only  a  few  yards 
distant.  Out  in  the  road,  Noel  saw  the  horses 
which  had  already  broken  their  halters  and  had 
fled  when  the  bees  first  had  attacked  them.  He 
would  have  been  glad  to  secure  either  of  them, 
but  now  his  main  purpose  was  to  escape,  and 
success  depended  much  upon  the  endurance  of 
the  horse  he  was  riding. 

As  yet  the  men  behind  him  had  not  shot 
at  the  escaping  young  soldier.  Grimly  Noel 
thought  they  were  more  fearful  of  injuring  the 
horse  than  they  were  of  harming  him.  How- 
ever, there  was  inspiration  in  the  thought  that 
thus  far  he  had  succeeded,  and  almost  with  a 
feeling  of  rejoicing  he  turned  into  the  road  and 
uro^ed  his  terrified  steed  into  still  more  frantic 
efforts.  The  pursuit  was  not  abandoned,  and 
he  was  aware  that  the  mounted  Confederates 
evidently  were  as  determined  as  was  the  fleeing 
young  soldier. 

The  speed  of  the  running  horse  increased 
under  the  continued  demands  of  his  rider.  It 


£ 


NOEL    HEARD    THE    BULLET    AS    IT    WHISTLED    PAST 


WARLIKE  BEES  153 

was  a  powerful  animal  on  which  he  was 
mounted,  as  Noel  was  now  aware,  and  if  his 
endurance  was  equal  to  his  strength  there  was 
a  possibility  of  escaping  from  the  region. 

A  glance  behind  him  showed  that  he  was 
gaining  upon  his  two  pursuers,  a  fact  which 
was  as  manifest  to  them  as  it  was  to  him.  Sud- 
denly one  of  them  fired.  Noel  heard  the  bullet 
as  it  whistled  above  his  head. 

The  pursuit,  however,  was  not  abandoned, 
and,  leaning  forward,  Noel  drew  himself  closer 
to  the  neck  of  his  panting  steed,  and  then  as 
he  looked  hastily  behind  him  he  saw  that  both 
men  were  again  about  to  fire. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

A    HELPER 

The  moment  was  critical  in  the  flight  of  the 
young  soldier.  It  seemed  to  him  as  if  his  heart 
for  a  moment  almost  ceased  to  beat.  Reso- 
lutely he  leaned  still  farther  forward  on  the 
neck  of  the  running  horse,  and  shouting  into 
the  ear  of  the  animal  caused  the  frightened 
beast  to  bound  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  road 
just  as  both  of  his  pursuers  fired. 

Grateful  as  soon  as  he  was  aware  that 
neither  he  nor  his  horse  had  been  hit,  the 
young  soldier  gave  his  undivided  attention  for 
a  moment  to  controlling  the  terrified  steed. 

Noel's  long  experience  on  his  father's  farm 
on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  where 
he  and  his  brother  Frank  many  a  time  as  little 
lads  had  ridden  the  colts  bareback,  now  came 
in  good  stead.  The  saddle  was  uncomfortable, 
but  he  had  no  difficulty  in  retaining  his  seat. 

In  a  brief  time  the  nervous  animal  once 
more  was  under  control  and  was  speeding  f« 
ward  at  a  pace  which  the  rider  was  confide 
would  soon  leave  his  pursuers  far  behind  hi; 


A  HELPER  155 

ight  Noel  hastily  glanced  over  his 
si  o  discover  whether  or  not  the  Con- 

£e  >ldiers  had  abandoned  the  chase,  or 

w  letermined  to  overtake  him. 

lly  saw  that  they  were  not  gaining 
upon  him,  although  they  still  held  doggedly 
to  the  pursuit.  Just  why  they  should  do  this, 
now  that  several  miles  had  been  covered,  the 
young  soldier  was  unable  to  understand,  nor 
was  it  until  afterward  that  he  came  to  know 
the  reason  why  the  men,  in  spite  of  their  fail- 
ure to  gain  upon  him,  were  unwilling  to  turn 
back. 

Noel  was  unarmed.  His  rifle  had  been  taken 
from  him  when  he  had  first  been  made  pris- 
oner. Although  he  had  a  place,  as  we  know, 
among  the  sharpshooters  of  McClellan's  army, 
it  had  not  been  until  after  his  return  from  his 
furlough  that  he  had  found  himself  fully  able 
to  do  the  required  work. 

Now  with  all  his  heart  he  longed  for  a  rifle. 
If  it  were  only  in  his  hands  he  was  convinced 
that  the  two  men  who  were  so  doggedly  hang- 
ing to  the  pursuit  would  abandon  their  efforts. 

The  mud  in  places  in  the  road  was  thrown 
up  in  lumps  by  the  hoofs  of  his  horse  as  he 
thundered  on  his  way.  As  yet  the  animal  was 
not  displaying  any  marked  signs  of  distress, 


156    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

and  in  the  hope  of  wearing  out  his  pursuers, 
Noel  still  kept  him  at  his  full  speed. 

The  splotches  of  mud  and  the  heat  of  the 
warm  September  day  soon  made  the  appear- 
ance of  the  young  rider  as  distressing  as  that 
of  the  animal  upon  which  he  was  mounted. 
The  great  black  flanks  of  the  latter  were  now 
reeking  with  sweat  and  discolored  by  the  red- 
brown  mud  of  the  road.  As  far  as  Noel  him- 
self was  concerned,  his  most  intimate  friend 
might  have  had  difficulty  in  recognizing,  in 
the  perspiring,  dirt-covered  young  soldier  the 
Noel  Curtis  whom  they  had  known.  Streams 
of  perspiration  had  poured  down  his  face  and 
left  furrows  in  the  coating  of  Maryland  mud 
and  dirt.  The  exertion  was  telling  upon  the 
rider  as  well  as  upon  the  horse,  and  he  was  well 
aware  that  such  violent  efforts  could  not  long 
be  continued. 

Glancing  once  more  anxiously  behind  him, 
Noel  was  unable  to  see  his  pursuers.  He  was 
aware,  however,  that  it  was  only  the  bend  in 
the  road  that  hid  them  from  his  sight  and  that 
not  yet  was  he  freed  from  his  peril. 

Slackening  the  pace  at  which  he  was  riding, 
the  young  soldier  removed  his  coat  and  fold- 
ing it  placed  it  in  front  of  him  on  the  pommel. 
The  relief  was  instant  and  again  speaking 


A   HELPER  157 

encouragingly  to  his  horse,  which  now  was 
breathing  loudly,  he  continued  his  flight. 

It  became  manifest  in  a  brief  time  that  the 
pursuit  was  still  maintained,  although  the  dis- 
tance between  the  young  soldier  and  the  two 
Confederates  comparatively  was  unchanged. 
Why  they  should  continue  to  follow  him  be- 
came increasingly  a  perplexing  problem.  There 
were  no  prospects  of  his  being  overtaken,  and 
now  that  five  or  six  miles  must  have  been 
covered  in  his  flight  Noel  was  unable  to  un- 
derstand why  the  men  did  not  turn  back  and 
join  their  comrades.  He  himself  was  not  of 
sufficient  value  to  warrant  their  severe  labors. 
Of  that  fact  he  was  well  assured.  Why,  then, 
did  they  still  follow  him? 

The  mystery  was  unsolved,  but  there  was 
no  delay  on  the  part  of  the  young  soldier  to 
meditate  long  upon  possible  explanations.  The 
fact  remained  that  he  was  in  a  country  with 
which  he  was  unfamiliar,  mounted  upon  the 
back  of  a  horse  with  whose  ways  he  was  un- 
acquainted, although  he  was  aware  of  his  many 
excellent  points,  and  was  being  pursued  re- 
lentlessly by  two  men  who  doggedly  held  to 
their  task. 

Suddenly  Noel,  as  he  emerged  from  a  small 
body  of  woods,  beheld  a  group  of  men  directly 


158    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

in  the  road  before  him  and  not  distant  more 
than  fifty  yards.  Glancing  keenly  at  the  bank 
he  saw  that  the  men  were  repairing  a  bridge 
over  a  little  stream.  A  second  look  convinced 
him  that  the  men  were  all  clad  in  the  uniform 
of  the  Confederate  soldiers. 

For  a  brief  moment  Noel's  courage  seemed 
to  depart.  He  could  not  turn  back  without 
running  directly  into  his  enemies,  while  if  he 
advanced  it  was  equally  plain  that  there  were 
many  more  still  to  be  passed. 

Unaware  of  the  perplexing  thoughts  of  his 
rider,  his  horse  did  not  relax  his  speed  and 
with  long  and  steady  lopes  was  still  advancing. 
Whatever  the  young  soldier  was  to  do  must 
be  done  quickly. 

Almost  before  he  was  aware  of  what  oc- 
curred Noel  found  himself  close  upon  the 
band.  His  coat,  as  has  been  said,  was  discol- 
ored and  his  trousers  were  so  covered  with 
mud  that  their  original  color,  in  a  measure,  at 
least,  was  concealed. 

Suddenly  the  young  soldier  decided  to  try 
to  make  his  way  through  the  band.  He  re- 
called an  incident  which  he  had  read  in  the 
life  of  Mad  Anthony  Wayne,  who,  with  his 
men,  in  the  swamp  near  Yorktown,  found  him- 
self face  to  face  with  a  division  of  red  coats 


A  HELPER  159 

that  far  outnumbered  his  followers.  The  con- 
sternation produced  by  the  discovery  was  ban- 
ished as  Mad  Anthony  resolutely  called  to  his 
men  and  dashed  forward.  The  daring  man  was 
relying  upon  the  fact  of  his  bold  advance  to 
convince  the  enemy  that  there  must  be  more 
men  behind  him.  No  man  in  his  senses  would 
ever  think  of  attacking  such  a  superior  force. 
After  the  British  lines  had  broken  and  fled, 
Mad  Anthony  turned  and  said  to  one  of  his 
comrades,  "  The  best  way  to  overcome  any 
difficulty  is  to  drive  straight  through  it."  This 
incident  came  back  to  Noel's  mind  as  the  trees 
and  fields  seemed  to  be  racing  past  him. 

His  confident  approach,  too,  for  he  was 
waving  his  hand  as  he  drew  nearer,  seemed  to 
confuse  the  band  of  Confederates.  Instead  of 
forming  across  the  road  and  stopping  his  flight, 
they  divided  and  did  not  even  question  him, 
although  his  appearance  must  have  been  such 
as  to  arouse  their  curiosity  at  least. 

Only  partly  checking  the  speed  of  his  horse, 
Noel  leaned  low  on  his  neck  and  as  he  drew 
near  the  men,  he  shouted,  "  Don't  stop  me, 
boys  !  How  far  ahead  is  the  captain  ?  " 

Even  as  he  asked  the  question  Noel  was 
aware  that  his  own  apparent  confidence  had 
had  its  effect,  for  the  men  drew  back  from  the 


160    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

roadside,  and  one  of  them  in  reply  to  his 
query,  shouted,  "  I  reckon  he  's  about  three 
miles  up  the  road,  sir." 

"  Good  !  That 's  fine  !  "  shouted  Noel  in 
response.  "  There  's  some  men  coming  behind 
me  and  they  '11  stop  to  give  you  their  mes- 
sage. They  have  a  word  for  you." 

The  ruse  had  succeeded,  and  the  young 
soldier  had  accomplished  more  than  in  his 
excitement  he  had  dared  to  hope.  He  knew 
that  his  pursuers  in  a  very  short  time  would  be 
informed  of  his  bold  trick  and  perhaps  would 
be  more  determined  than  ever  to  secure  him. 
But  for  a  time,  at  least,  he  had  not  been 
checked  in  his  flight  and  he  was  not  without 
hope  also  that  the  two  mounted  men  might 
be  delayed  long  enough  by  the  band,  through 
which  he  had  successfully  made  his  way,  to 
enable  him  to  gain  still  more. 

Noel  had  not  advanced  far  beyond  the  sight 
of  the  bridge  before  his  sudden  feeling  of  ex- 
hilaration vanished.  He  had  been  astonished 
at  the  very  success  of  the  trick  he  had  played. 
It  was  his  first  lesson  that  if  a  man  is  to  suc- 
ceed he  must  be  bold. 

His  rejoicing  now  abruptly  departed,  when, 
running  and  breathing  heavily,  his  horse  sud- 
denly stumbled  and  fell  in  the  road.    The 


A  HELPER  161 

young  soldier  had  been  riding  with  too  loose 
a  rein  and  his  moment  of  elation  had  made 
him  somewhat  careless  of  the  need  of  constant 
attention  to  his  steed. 

Fortunately  Noel  was  able  to  free  his  feet 
from  the  stirrups  and  was  not  caught  by  the 
body  of  the  horse  as  he  fell.  He  was  thrown 
to  one  side  of  the  road,  but  although  he  was 
bruised  and  for  a  moment  almost  stunned  by 
the  sudden  fall,  he  quickly  rose. 

Quick  as  his  action  was,  however,  that  of 
his  horse  had  been  quicker.  After  two  efforts 
the  fallen  animal  at  last  succeeded  in  leaping 
to  his  feet,  and,  disregarding  the  frantic  calls 
of  its  recent  rider,  started  forward,  running 
even  more  swiftly  than  when  he  had  been 
carrying  the  young  soldier. 

In  the  midst  of  the  fresh  trouble  which  had 
arisen,  Noel  was  aware  that  his  pursuers  in  a 
brief  time  would  be  upon  him.  Instantly  turn- 
ing to  one  side  of  the  road  where  some  large 
trees  were  growing  he  darted  into  their  midst 
and  soon  discovered  one  tree  sufficiently  large 
to  enable  him  to  hide  behind  it. 

Scarcely  had  Noel  succeeded  in  gaining  his 
hiding-place  before  he  heard  the  sound  of  the 
approaching  horsemen.  Instead  of  two  horses 
now,  however,  there  were  five.  The  ruse  which 


162     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT  ANTIETAM 

he  had  used  upon  the  men  at  the  bridge  had 
been  discovered,  and  doubtless  chagrin  was 
added  to  the  natural  desire  to  retake  the  dar- 
ing man  who  had  escaped  through  their  midst. 

Would  they  pass  the  place  or  would  they 
discover  the  mark  in  the  road  left  by  his  horse 
when  it  fell  ?  Upon  the  decision  of  this  ques- 
tion much  of  his  success  depended.  Breath- 
lessly Noel  watched  the  pursuing  soldiers,  and 
a  great  sigh  of  relief  escaped  his  lips  when  he 
saw  that  they  had  not  even  glanced  at  the  spot 
where  the  accident  had  befallen  him. 

He  deemed  it  unwise  now  to  resume  his 
flight  in  the  road.  He  decided  that  he  would 
make  his  way  from  tree  to  tree,  and  as  he 
peered  out  at  the  road,  which  he  could  see  ex- 
tended far  in  the  distance,  he  was  rejoiced  to 
discover  that  the  woods  also  spread  out  far  on 
either  side.  His  plan  was  not  to  reenter  the 
road  until  he  had  gone  a  distance  which  would 
be  sufficient  to  insure  his  safety  from  discovery 
by  the  men  who  had  recently  passed  him  in 
their  wild  chase. 

By  this  time  the  afternoon  sun  was  low  in 
the  western  sky.  Not  a  mouthful  of  food  had 
passed  the  lips  of  the  young  soldier  since  his 
early  breakfast  at  the  house  of  Jim  and  Sairy 
Ann.  His  strenuous  efforts  also  had  wearied 


HELPER  163 

him,  and  3  well  as  hunger,  was  now 

making  it  Is  felt. 

An  hoi  apsed  when  Noel,  from  an- 

other hie  3  far  up  the  road,  saw  the 

hand  of  fi  ing.  He  was  positive  that  he 

recognized  them  as  his  recent  pursuers  from 
the  fact  that  one  of  the  horses  was  strangely 
marked,  a  fact  which  he  had  noticed  when  he 
had  first  discovered  the  animals  tied  to  the  rail 
in  the  rear  of  the  house  to  which  the  treach- 
erous Levi  had  conducted  him. 

When  at  last  the  band  had  passed  beyond 
his  sight,  and  Noel,  with  fresh  courage,  was 
about  to  reenter  the  road,  he  was  startled  when 
he  saw  a  young  colored  man  approaching  from 
the  direction  in  which  the  riders  had  disap- 
peared. 

Loud  and  long  sang  the  negro  and  repeated 
the  same  stanza  of  the  song  until  Noel,  who 
was  interested  as  the  black  man  came  nearer, 
almost  felt  that  in  spite  of  his  difficulties  he 
would  join  in  the  tune,  — 

"  Then  I  sot  right  down  and  felt  very  blue  — 
Glory  hallelujah,  bress  de  Lord  ! 
Says  I,  O  Lord,  what  shall  I  do  ? 
Glory  hallelujah,  bress  de  Lord !  " 

When  the  young  black  man  came  opposite 


164    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  place  where  Noel  was  hiding,  the  latter 
suddenly  decided  to  hail  him. 

"  Hello  !  "  called  the  young  soldier. 

The    negro   stopped   abruptly  and  peered 
about  him  in  a  manner  which  betrayed  to  Noel 
that  in  intelligence  he  seemed  to  be  far  above 
the  most  of  his  race. 
.    "  Who  dat  callin'  me?"  inquired  the  negro. 

"  I  am/'  said  Noel,  as  he  stepped  forth  from 
his  hiding-place. 

The  young  soldier  now  was  in  his  shirt- 
sleeves, his  coat  having  been  lost  when  he  had 
been  thrown  from  his  horse.  His  uniform  was 
so  discolored  by  mud  that  it  was  impossible 
for  an  observer  to  determine  to  which  side  he 
belonged.  However,  convinced  that  his  plight 
was  so  distressing  that  he  must  trust  some  one, 
Noel  had  decided  that  he  would  cast  in  his  lot 
with  the  negro,  and  trust  him  to  provide  some 
way  of  escape. 

"  Have  you  seen  any  Union  soldiers  around 
here  ?  "  he  called  as  he  came  nearer. 

Before  he  replied,  the  negro  looked  quickly 
into  the  face  of  Noel,  and  then  with  a  smile 
said,  "  No,  suh.  I  wish  I  had.  I  would  like  toe 
be  inside  the  Union  lines  at  dis  bery  minute. 
I  reckon,  too,  yo'  all  would  like  toe  be  in  there, 
too." 


A  HELPER  165 

"  That 's  what  I  would  !  "  said  Noel  enthu- 
siastically. "  And  you  '11  have  to  show  me  how 
to  get  there." 

The  black  man  hesitated  a  moment,  and 
then  said  cordially,  "  The  bes'  thing  f  o'  yo' 
will  be  f  o'  me  toe  take  yo'  all  toe  Aunt  Katie." 

" '  Aunt  Katie '  ?  "  inquired  Noel,  as  he 
glanced  once  more  apprehensively  up  and 
down  the  road.  "  Aunt  Katie?  Who  is  she  ?" 

"  Yo'  come  er  long  wif  me  and  I  '11  done 
show  yo',"  replied  the  negro. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   GUEST    ROOM 

The  young  negro  at  once  led  the  way  from 
the  road,  evidently  fearing  more  for  the  safety 
of  his  companion  than  for  his  own. 

Noel  followed  obediently  and  did  not  speak 
nntil  his  guide  had  led  him  far  within  the 
sheltering  woods  that  were  growing  on  each 
side  of  the  road. 

The  young  soldier  was  not  yet  altogether 
convinced  that  his  companion  was  to  be  relied 
upon.  His  experience  with  Long  John  had 
made  him  suspicious  of  the  blacks.  Through- 
out his  boyhood  he  had  never  seen  a  colored 
man,  and  it  had  not  been  long  before  the  time 
of  his  enlistment  when  he  had  beheld  one  for 
the  first  time. 

The  action  of  the  powerful  young  negro 
with  whom  he  was  journeying,  however,  in  a 
measure  relieved  his  fears,  and  his  plight  was 
so  desperate  that  he  was  aware  that  he  must 
trust  somebody  for  help.  Night  would  soon  be 
at  hand  and  in  the  darkness  his  perils  might 
be  greatly  increased. 


THE  GUEST  ROOM  167 

At  last,  when  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more 
had  been  covered  by  Noel  and  his  companion, 
the  young  soldier  stopped,  and  said,  "  What  's 
your  name?  " 

"  Nigger  Sam." 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  Long  John  ?  " 

"  Yas,  suh ! "  replied  Sam,  glancing  sus- 
piciously at  his  companion  as  he  spoke.  "  What 
fo'  yo'  ask  'bout  Long  John  ?  " 

"  I  saw  him  back  yonder." 

"Whatfo'  yo'  see  him?" 

"  Why,  he  led  me  into  a  trap.  I  thought  I 
could  trust  him,  but  he  took  me  along  a  cor- 
duroy road  to  the  very  place  where  a  lot  of 
the  rebel  soldiers  were  stationed." 

"  Yas,  suh  !  Yas,  suh  ! "  said  Sam,  mani- 
festly relieved.  "  Dat  's  des'  what  Long  John 
is  er  doin\  He  's  playing  tricks  on  the  Yankee 
soldiers  all  de  time.  Little  Ben  Fowler  des' 
used  him  lak  I  use  de  decoy  when  I  shoots 
ducks." 

"  How  do  I  know  you  are  not  another  one 
like  Long  John  ?  " 

"  Because  I  'se  a  Yankee." 

"You're  a  what?"  demanded  Noel. 

"  I  'se  workin'  wif  de  Yankees.  I  des'  made 
up  my  mind  dey  was  de  bes'  friends  what  I 
got.  When  a  lot  ob  men  leave  home  and  come 


168     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

'way  off  down  yere  jes'  toe  set  de  niggers  free, 
I  done  make  up  my  min'  dat  I  'd  des'  do  all  I 
could  fo'  'em." 

"  Where  are  you  going  now  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  'm  goin'  toe  tote  you  toe  Aunt 
Katie's." 

"You  know  I'm  a  Union  soldier,  don't 
you?" 

"  I  reckon  I  does.  Leastwise  I  suspected  so 
when  I  first  heerd  yo'  talk.  If  yo'  all  will  tell 
me  how  yo'  says  de  word  ob  dat  animal  what 
gibes  milk,  den  I  '11  sho'ly  know." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  inquired  Noel 
sharply. 

"  I  mean  dat  animal  what  we  spell  c-o-w. 
How  yo'  all  done  say  dat  name  ?  " 

Noel  laughingly  pronounced  the  word,  and 
instantly  his  dusky  companion  was  satisfied 
with  the  claim  which  the  young  soldier  had 
made. 

u  Yas,  suh.  Yo'  all  sho'ly  is  er  Yankee. 
What  I  cain't  understan',  suh,  is  what  yo'  all 
is  dom'  yere.  The  nearest  place  war  dey  is  any 
Union  sojers  is  Frederick." 

"  How  far  is  that  from  here  ?  " 

"  Not  so  very  far,  but  I  reckon  hit 's  too  far 
away  fo'  yo'  all  toe  try  fo'  toe  git  dere  to- 
night. De  sojers  is  scourin'  de  country  an'  —  " 


THE   GUEST  ROOM  169 

)o  you  mean  Stuart's  cavalry  ?  " 
fas,  suh,  and  some  mo'  men  besides  dem. 
5  gittin'  dreadfully  hard  toe  find  yo'  way 
mes  like  dese." 

Where  are  you  going  now?"  suddenly 
rsoel  inquired. 

"  I  'se  goin'  toe  take  yo'  all  toe  Aunt 
Katie's  an'  —  " 

The  young  negro  hesitated  and  again  search- 
ingly  looked  at  his  companion. 

"  What 's  the  trouble  ?  "  inquired  Noel 
quickly.  "  Are  you  afraid  of  me  ?  " 

"  No,  suh,  I  is  n'fc  'fraid,"  grinned  the  negro. 
"  Sho'ly  not  as  long  as  I  hab  a  frind  lak  dis 
wif  me,"  he  added  as  he  drew  from  a  pocket 
inside  his  coat  a  long  narrow  knife  which  was 
at  least  ten  inches  in  length.  "  Dis  yere," 
grinned  Sam,  "  is  one  ob  de  bes'  friends  what 
I  got." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  inquired  Noel,  extending  his 
hand  as  he  spoke. 

"  No,  suh.  I  don*  let  dis  friend  of  mine 
eber  go  out  ob  my  hands.  Not  eben  fo'  Gen- 
e'al  Bu'nside." 

"  Where  is  General  Burnside  ?  "  asked  Noel. 

"I  reckon  he  is  n't  far  'way  from  Frederick 
City." 

"  Are  you  going  to  see  him  ?  "  demanded 


170     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

the  young  soldier,  suddenly  inspired  by  a  new 
thought. 

"  Well,  suh,  I  cain't  jes'  say  'bout  dat,"  re- 
plied Sam  as  he  thrust  his  knife  back  into 
its  receptacle.  "  I  mought  and  then  again  I 
mought  n't." 

"I  believe  you're  going  there,"  said  Noel 
sharply. 

"Dat's  des'  as  may  be,"  again  responded 
Sam.  "  I  mought  and  den  I  mought  n't.  Now, 
we  hab  been  talkin'  here  long  er  'nuff.  If  we 
all  is  goin'  toe  get  yo'  toe  Aunt  Katie's  we 
mus'  be  movin'  along.  I  have  n't  much  time 
to  stay  yere  any  longer." 

"How  far  is  Aunt  Katie's  from  here?" 

"  Not  so  very  far,"  again  responded  the 
negro.  "But  I  des'  cain't  lose  de  time." 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  abruptly  in- 
quired Noel. 

"  I  des'  came  from  down  de  road  a  spell." 

"  And  you  say  you  're  going  to  Frederick 
City  to  report  to  General  Burnside?" 

"  No,  suh.  No,  suh.  I  did  n't  say  any  such 
thing,"  replied  Sam  with  a  grin.  "  I  des'  said 
that  I  mought  see  him." 

"  I  believe  you  're  taking  word  to  him  from 
some  one  down  in  this  part  of  Maryland." 

Sam  grinned,  but  made  no  reply. 


THE   GUEST  ROOM  171 

The  practice  of  using  the  blacks  as  spies  or 
as  means  of  obtaining  information  was  more 
prevalent  than  the  young  soldier  was  aware. 
Some  of  the  black  men  were  keenly  intelligent, 
and  their  stealthiness  enabled  them  to  avoid 
many  dangers  to  which  the  white  soldiers  were 
often  exposed.  It  was  plain,  too,  that  Nigger 
Sam,  as  he  called  himself,  was  thoroughly  fa- 
miliar with  the  region ;  and  he  had  said  and 
done  enough  to  cause  his  companion  to  sus- 
pect that  the  purpose  of  his  journey  was  more 
than  had  appeared  upon  the  surface. 

Conversation  ceased  when  the  journey  was 
resumed.  Weary  as  Noel  was  by  the  experi- 
ences of  the  day,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he 
was  able  to  keep  up  with  his  companion,  who 
swiftly  led  the  way  through  the  field  and 
across  the  occasional  swamps. 

The  sun  had  disappeared  from  sight  and 
darkness  was  creeping  over  the  land  when  at 
last  Noel  and  his  black  guide  arrived  on  the 
border  of  a  long  stretch  of  woods. 

"  Yo'  all  stay  right  yere,  suh,"  said  Sam, 
"  while  I  done  go  toe  see  if  Aunt  Katie  will 
take  yo'  in  fo'  de  night.,, 

"  I  don't  want  to  stop  at  Aunt  Katie's,"  de- 
clared Noel.  "  I  want  to  go  with  you.  I  'm 
sure  you  're  on  your  way  to  Frederick  City —  " 


172     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Hush  ! "  said  Sam  sternly.  "  Yo'  all  don't 
know  who  may  be  hidin'  in  dese  yere  trees." 

The  negro*  spoke  in  a  whisper,  but  it  was 
manifest  to  his  companion  that  his  fears  had 
been  aroused  and  perhaps  not  without  reason. 

"  Yo'  all  do  des'  what  I  says  toe  yo',"  con- 
tinued Sam.  "  Set  right  yere  behin'  dis  yere 
tree  while  I  go  toe  see  if  Aunt  Katie  kin  take 
yo'  in  fo'  de  night." 

There  was  nothing  else  to  be  done  except 
to  obey  the  directions  of  Sam.  Reluctantly 
Noel  seated  himself  on  the  ground  behind  one 
of  the  large  trees,  and  the  negro  at  once 
started  across  the  field  that  intervened  be- 
tween the  woods  and  the  little  cabins,  a  faint 
outline  of  which  could  be  seen  in  the  distance. 
Doubtless  the  little  whitewashed  structures 
were  the  quarters  of  the  negroes  of  the  large 
plantation,  Noel  concluded. 

The  weary  young  soldier  leaned  forward  and 
watched  the  departing  Sam  as  long  as  he  could 
be  seen.  In  a  brief  time  the  young  negro  passed 
beyond  the  nearest  of  the  cabins. 

A  half-hour  or  more  elapsed  before  Sam 
returned.  Noel's  anxiety  meanwhile  had  been 
increasing,  and  he  was  on  the  point  of  depart- 
ing from  the  vicinity,  as  he  had  become  fear- 
ful that  his  guide  might  play  him  false  and 


THE   GUEST  ROOM  173 

report  him  to  his  enemies  instead  of  to  the 
colored  woman  to  whom  he  had  referred  as  the 
friend  of  escaping  whites  and  blacks  alike. 

The  dim  outlines  of  the  approaching  guide 
soon  became  more  clearly  defined,  and  it  was 
with  a  feeling  of  relief  that  Noel  heard  Sam 
say,  "Hit 's  all  right,  suh.  Aunt  Katie  done  say 
as  how  she  will  take  yo'  in.  Dere  's  one  white 
man  dere  now,  but  she  done  say  she  can  always 
find  room  fo'  one  mo'." 

When  the  two  men  approached  the  humble 
cabin,  which  Sam  explained  was  Aunt  Katie's 
abode,  there  were  no  lights  to  be  seen,  and  con- 
sequently, when  the  black  woman  whispered  to 
the  guide,  Noel  was  unable  to  distinguish  her 
face. 

The  whispering  between  the  two  continued 
several  minutes,  and  then  Sam  once  more 
turned  to  Noel,  who  had  been  bidden  to  enter 
the  cabin  and  seat  himself  on  a  rude  bench 
near  the  rear  door,  and  said,  "  Is  yo'  all 
hongry." 

"  Yes,  I  'm  hungry,"  whispered  Noel.  "  But 
never  mind  that.  What  I  want  is  to  find  some 
place  where  I  shall  be  safe ;  that  is,  if  you  're 
not  going  to  take  me  with  you  to  —  " 

Noel  abruptly  ceased  when  he  felt  the  grip 
of  his  companion  on  his  arm  and  was  aware 


174    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

that  he  must  not  speak  aloud  concerning  any 
of  the  men  or  places  he  was  seeking. 

"  Aunt  Katie  will  feed  yo'  all  an'  then  show 
yo'  whar  yo'  kin  stay  'til  mo'nin'.  Yo'  do  des' 
what  she  done  tells  yo'  toe  do." 

"  I  shall,"  whisper ed  Noel ;  for  his  confi- 
dence in  his  dusky  friends  had  now  been  fully 
restored.  He  could  not  explain  the  change  in 
his  feelings,  but  it  had  been  manifest  by  the 
very  tones  of  Aunt  Katie's  voice  that  she  was 
one  upon  whom  he  might  depend. 

"  Yas,  suh,"  continued  Sam.  "  Maybe  I  '11 
done  see  yo'  all  some  time  soon." 

Unaware  of  the  direction  in  which  Sam  had 
departed,  Noel's  attention  and  efforts  were  soon 
devoted  to  the  corn-bread  and  molasses  which 
his  sable  hostess  speedily  provided. 

Watchful  as  Noel  was,  his  hunger  never- 
theless was  so  keen  and  he  was  so  busily  en- 
gaged in  the  task  of  disposing  of  Aunt  Katie's 
viands,  that  the  occasional  chuckle  of  the  black 
woman  was  wonderfully  comforting.  She  sel- 
dom spoke,  but  the  young  soldier  was  aware 
that  his  hostess  was  a  woman  of  ample  pro- 
portions and  capable  of  exerting  herself  phys- 
ically if  occasion  should  require  in  a  manner 
that  would  portend  no  good  for  her  enemies. 

"  Yo'  all  come  'long  wid  me  and  I  '11  take 


THE  GUEST  ROOM  175 

yo'  toe  de  gues'  room,"  said  Aunt  Katie 
calmly,  when  her  visitor's  hunger  had  been 
appeased. 

Puzzled  by  her  words,  Noel  nevertheless  fol- 
lowed the  woman  as  she  led  the  way  outside 
the  little  cabin.  He  was  mystified  by  her  ac- 
tions and  was  wondering  where  the  "  gues' 
room  "  might  be.  However,  he  wisely  held  his 
peace,  and  cautiously  following  Aunt  Katie 
soon  was  conducted  to  a  large  stack  of  corn- 
stalks standing  near  a  corner  of  the  barn. 

Here  the  black  woman  stopped  and,  keenly 
peering  about  her  to  make  sure  that  their  ac- 
tions were  not  observed,  turned  to  Noel  and 
whispered,  "  Inside  dat  er  stack  is  whar  yo'  all 
is  toe  go.  Dere  am  plenty  ob  room  in  dere. 
Yo'  all  will  find  another  sojer  in  dere,  too,  I 
reckon.  I  '11  show  yo'  all  how  yo'  git  in.  Come 
er  'long." 

Near  the  ground  on  the  farther  side  of  the 
stack  Noel  crawled  into  the  opening  which 
Aunt  Katie  disclosed.  In  spite  of  the  darkness 
he  was  aware  that  the  ground  within  was 
covered  with  cornstalks  and  that  it  was  pos- 
sible for  him  to  stand  erect.  Instantly  he  con- 
cluded that  the  stack  was  more  or  less  of  a 
deception  and  was  designed  merely  to  cover 
and  conceal  a  small  room. 


176    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

His  thoughts,  however,  were  speedily  inter- 
rupted by  the  voice  of  the  other  occupant.  In 
amazement  Noel  listened,  scarcely  daring  to 
credit  the  evidence  of  his  own  ears,  and  then 
convinced  that  he  was  not  mistaken,  he  in- 
stantly crawled  toward  the  place  from  which 
the  voice  had  come. 


CHAPTER  XVni 

THE   FIRE 

"  Dennis  !  Dennis !  Is  that  you  ?  "  whispered 
the  young  soldier,  as  he  gained  the  place 
where  the  other  occupant  of  the  hiding-place 
was  seated. 

"  Shure,  and  it 's  Noel !  It 's  Noel,  me  lad ! " 
exclaimed  Dennis  in  high  glee. 

"  Hush  !  Don't  talk  so  loud,  Dennis  !  Some- 
body will  hear  us.  What  are  you  doing  here  ? 
Where  did  you  come  from?  Are  you  going 
to  try  to  go  on  to  the  army  to-night?  Who 
brought  you  here  ?  How  long  have  you  been 
here?" 

"  Listen  to  the  lad  ! "  exclaimed  Dennis, 
delightedly,  in  one  of  his  loudest  whispers. 

Noel  was  more  afraid  of  Dennis  when  he 
whispered  than  he  was  when  he  spoke  in  a  low 
tone.  Accordingly  he  grasped  his  comrade's 
arm  and  said,  "Don't  make  so  much  noise, 
Dennis." 

"  Noel 's  the  lad  for  me  !  He  can  ask  more 
questions  in  a  minute  than  any  man  from  the 
old  sod  could  ask  in  five.  Well,  lad,  I  have 
been  here  about  two  hours." 


178    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  " 

"You'll  have  to  ask  the  people  what 
brought  me.  I  can't  tell  you,  I  'm  shure.  I 
niver  was  in  such  a  country  and  I  hope  I  '11 
niver  be  again.  I  was  n't  so  troubled  about 
mesilf  as  I  was  about  you,  Noel,  me  lad.  Tell 
me  about  yoursilf ." 

"Hush!"  repeated  Noel.  "Be  still!"  he 
whispered  excitedly.  "Do  you  hear  those 
voices  ?  " 

"  Shure,  I  hear  them." 

"Well,  keep  still  and  see  if  we  can  find  out 
what  they  are  saying." 

It  was  plain  to  both  the  listening  young 
soldiers  that  a  man,  who,  from  his  tones 
and  speech  was  undoubtedly  white,  was  talk- 
ing to  a  negro  lad  standing  near  the  stack 
within  which  the  two  young  soldiers  were 
hiding. 

In  a  moment  Noel  recognized  the  voice  of 
the  little  negro  lad  as  that  of  the  son  of  Aunt 
Katie.  The  little  urchin,  not  more  than  ten 
years  of  age,  had  impressed  the  young  soldier 
by  the  intensity  with  which  he  had  looked  at 
him  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  until  he  was 
conducted  by  Aunt  Katie  to  the  place  of  his 
concealment. 

Noel  grasped  fiercely  the  arm  of  Dennis  as 


THE  FIRE  179 

he  heard  the  man  outside  ask,  "  Have  you  seen 
any  Yanks  around  here  ?  " 

"  No,  suh  !  No,  suh !  "  said  the  small  negro. 
"  I  ain't  seen  no  Yankees  aroun'  hyer." 

"  You  are  sure,  are  you  ?  "  repeated  the  man, 
not  ill-naturedly. 

"  Yas,  suh.  Yas,  suh." 

"  Do  you  think  you  would  know  a  Yank  if 
you  should  see  one  ?  " 

"  I  shore  would,"  replied  the  dusky  child 
confidently.  "Yo'  all  done  tole  us  dat  de 
Yanks  hab  hawns.  I  ain't  seen  nary  a  man  wi£ 
hawns  'round  yere." 

"  Have  you  looked  for  them?  "  laughed  the 
man. 

"  Yas,  suh." 

"  Well,  if  you  find  any  you  must  be  sure 
to  report  to  me.  Sometimes  you  have  to  look 
right  smart  to  find  the  horns  on  some  of  the 
Yankees." 

"  Does  dey  grow  right  out  of  dere  haid  like 
dis?" 

"  That 's  what  they  do,  and  their  horns  are 
sharp,  too." 

"  Glory  ! "  exclaimed  the  little  negro.  "  I 
reck'n  I  don't  want  to  see  no  Yanks  wit*  hawns. 
Is  yo'  all  thinkin'  dat  dey  is  comin'  yere  some- 
time?" 


180    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  I  think  some  of  them  have  been  here." 

"  What  dey  wan'  hyer?" 

"  You  ask  Aunt  Katie  about  that.  I  reckon 
she  knows  more  about  it  than  I  do.  Are 
you  sure,  Little  Jake,  you  have  n't  seen  any 
Yankees  that  did  n't  have  any  horns?" 

"  How  would  I  know  dey  was  Yankees  if 
dey  did  n't  hab  any  hawns?  Yo'  all  don'  tole 
us  dat  de  Yankees  hab  hawns,  so  when  I  sees 
a  man  what  I  don'  know  I  alius  looks  to  see  if 
he  hab  any  hawns." 

"If  he  does  have  horns,  then  you  make  up 
your  mind  he  is  a  Yankee,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yas,  suh.  Dat 's  what  yo'  all  don*  tole  us, 
so  I  looks  fo'  de  hawns." 

"  Well,  the  next  time  you  find  anybody  in 
Aunt  Katie's  cabin  whom  you  don't  know,  you 
come  and  tell  me,  whether  he  has  horns  or 
not.  I  'm  expecting  somebody  to  be  in  her 
cabin  pretty  soon.  You  're  sure,  are  you,  there 
is  n't  anybody  there  now?" 

"  Yas,  suh.  You  come  'long  wif  me,"  said 
the  negro  lad  confidently,  "  and  I  '11  show  yo' 
all  dat  dere  ain't  nobody  in  dat  cabin  'tall, 
'ceptin'  mammy." 

"  I  '11  take  your  word  for  t  it.  Now,  Little 
Jake,  don't  you  forget  to  come  straight  to  the 
big  house  and  tell  me  if  you  ever  find  any 


THE  FIRE  181 

strangers  there,  whether  they  have  horns  or 
not." 

The  conversation  ceased,  and  with  a  sigh  of 
relief  Noel  turned  once  more  to  Dennis  and 
said,  "When  do  we  move  from  here?" 

"About  midnight." 

"  Is  Sam  going  to  be  our  guide  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  whether  he  is  or  not,  but 
Aunt  Katie  told  me  that  somebody  would  come 
for  us  about  that  time." 

"Do  you  know  how  far  the  Union  lines  are 
from  here  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't,"  replied  Dennis.  "  I  think  the 
best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  lie  down  here  on 
these  cornstalks  and  take  a  nap." 

"  But  you  have  n't  told  me  where  you  came 
from  nor  how  you  got  here." 

"  'T  is  a  long  story,  lad,  and  I  'm  afraid  to 
tell  you  here  for  fear  somebody  outside  will 
hear  our  voices." 

"  All  right,"  responded  Noel.  "  You  can 
tell  me  after  we  leave.  I  think  we  'd  better 
do  what  you  say." 

Accordingly  the  boys  stretched  themselves 
on  the  earth  which  was  covered  with  corn- 
stalks and  in  a  few  moments  both  were  sleep- 
ing soundly. 

Just  how  long  Noel  had  been  asleep  he  did 


182    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

not  know,  but  he  was  awakened  by  a  vague 
feeling  of  uneasiness.  Somehow  he  felt  as  if 
he  were  being  smothered,  and  for  a  brief  time 
he  was  unable  to  decide  just  where  he  was  or 
why  he  was  there. 

The  voice  of  Dennis  in  a  hoarse  whisper 
recalled  to  him  the  incidents  which  had  pre- 
ceded the  finding  of  the  shelter  within  the 
strange  hiding-place. 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  whispered  Dennis. 

Noel  saw  that  his  Irish  friend  was  alarmed, 
although  as  yet  he  was  unable  to  determine 
the  cause. 

"  What  is  what  ?  "  responded  Noel. 

"  'T  is  smoke,  I  tell  you  ! "  said  Dennis 
once  more.  "  This  place  is  on  fire." 

"  You  have  been  dreaming,"  protested  Noel, 
although  even  as  he  spoke  he  was  aware  of 
the  odor  of  burning  wood. 

"  If  I  have  been  dreaming,  I  *m  awake  now/' 
declared  Dennis.  "  And  the  only  thing  for  you 
and  me  to  do  is  to  get  out  of  this  place." 

"  It  is  n't  midnight  yet." 

"It's  time  to  get  up.  The  sooner  we 
get  out  of  here  the  safer  it  will  be  for  us 
both." 

All  this  time  Noel  was  sharing  the  alarm 
of  his  comrade.  Not  merely  was  there  an  odor 


THE  FIRE  183 

of  burning  wood,  but  there  was  no  conceal- 
ing the  fact  that  smoke  was  penetrating  their 
hiding-place. 

To  add  to  his  alarm,  at  that  very  moment 
there  were  sounds  of  men  running  about  near 
the  shack,  and  then  abruptly  above  the  noise 
was  heard  the  voice  of  some  one  shouting, 
"Fire!  Fire!" 

The  danger  of  meeting  the  owner  of  the 
plantation  was  not  so  great  in  the  mind  of 
the  young  soldier  at  the  time  as  that  of  being 
burned  or  suffocated  in  the  place  where  he 
and  Dennis  had  been  concealed. 

"  Come  on,  Dennis  !  Come  on  !  "  he  called 
in  a  low  voice,  as  instantly  he  crawled  toward 
the  opening. 

The  place,  however,  had  been  closed  after 
the  entrance  of  the  two  boys  and  in  the  dark- 
ness it  was  impossible  at  first  for  Noel  to  find 
the  exit.  By  this  time  his  fears  had  been 
greatly  increased  and  the  sounds  of  confu- 
sion outside  were  much  more  alarming. 

Men  were  shouting  and  running  about,  and 
in  the  midst  of  it  all  were  heard  the  screams 
of  the  terrified  children. 

"  Lad,"  whispered  Dennis,  "  we  can't  wait 
to  find  the  door.  We  must  make  a  break  for 
it  anywhere  we  can."  As  he  spoke  the  young 


184    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Irishman  threw  himself  with  all  his  strength 
against  the  side  of  the  little  room. 

Instantly  the  partition  gave  way  and  to  the 
consternation  of  Noel  the  entire  structure  col- 
lapsed. Both  boys  were  buried  beneath  the 
cornstalks,  but  it  was  only  the  work  of  a  mo- 
ment for  them  to  free  themselves. 

As  they  leaped  to  their  feet  they  discovered 
that  one  of  the  little  whitewashed  cabins, 
which  they  had  seen  the  preceding  evening, 
was  on  fire.  Surrounding  it  were  crowds  of 
colored  people,  and  among  them  Noel  saw  a 
tall  white  man,  who  he  instantly  concluded 
was  the  man  whose  voice  had  been  overheard 
by  him  and  Dennis.  Without  question  the 
man  before  him  was  the  owner  of  the  planta- 
tion and  the  one  who  had  warned  Aunt  Katie's 
little  boy  against  the  "  terrible  Yankees  with 
hawns." 

Fortunately  the  collapse  of  the  rude  struc- 
ture, within  which  a  hiding-place  had  been 
made  for  the  escaping  soldiers,  apparently  was 
not  noticed  by  the  people  on  the  plantation. 
It  was  evident  by  this  time  that  only  the  little 
cabin  was  doomed  and  that  the  lire  without 
difficulty  would  be  prevented  from  spreading 
to  the  adjoining  buildings.  Men  in  lines  were 
passing  buckets  of  water  from  hand  to  hand 


THE   FIRE  185 

;he  flames  promised  to  be  under  control 
n  a  brief  time. 

nvinced  that  there  was  no  immediate  dan- 
ow  to  be  feared  from  the  spread  of  the 
fire,  Noel  turned  to  Dennis  and  in  a  low  voice 
said,  "  We  must  get  away  from  this  place  be- 
fore that  chap  sees  us." 

Even  as  he  spoke,  however,  the  man  turned 
and  instantly  discovered  the  presence  of  the 
two  young  soldiers. 

As  he  advanced  toward  them  both  boys 
turned  and  fled  from  the  place,  running 
swiftly,  and  hoping  that  the  surrounding 
darkness  would  soon  hide  them  from  the  sight 
of  the  man  whom  they  believed  to  be  a  friend 
of  the  Confederate  cause. 

Unmindful  of  the  direction  in  which  they 
were  running  Noel  and  Dennis  fled  at  their 
highest  speed,  keeping  well  together  until  they 
came  to  what  seemed  to  be  an  abandoned  cabin 
on  the  border  of  the  plantation. 

"  We  '11  stop  here  and  abide  until  mornin,,,, 
suggested  Dennis,  who  was  laboring  hard  and 
breathing  heavily  under  the  exertion. 

"  No  !  No  !  "  replied  Noel.  "  We  must  not 
stop  a  minute.  The  only  hope  we  have  is  in 
getting  as  far  away  from  the  plantation  as 
possible  in  the  shortest  time." 


186    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"I  can't  go  any  farther/'  said  Dennis; 
"I'm  winded." 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  demanded  Noel  suddenly 
as  he  turned  and  looked  toward  the  planta- 
tion, which  now  was  far  behind  them,  but 
from  which  the  glow  of  the  fires  still  could 
be  faintly  seen. 

"  'T  is  nothing  lad.  What  is  it  you  think 
you  hear  ?  " 

"I  thought  I  heard  the  dogs.  If  they  set 
the  dogs  on  us,  we  shall  have  more  troubles 
than  we  ever  had  before,  Dennis,"  said  Noel, 
speaking  rapidly  and  excitedly. 

"  I  can't  help  it  if  they  do  set  the  dogs  on 
us,"  muttered  Dennis  sturdily.  "I  can't  go 
any  farther.  My  wind  is  gone,  and  my  side  is 
thumpin'  as  if  —  " 

"Here!"  said  Noel  excitedly;  "here's  a 
well !  I  don't  know  whether  there 's  any  water 
in  it  or  not,  but  the  thing  for  you  to  do  is  to 
hide  there.  You  can  do  it,"  he  added  abruptly 
as  he  stretched  himself  on  the  ground  and, 
peering  into  the  depths,  found  that  the  old 
well  was  lined  with  rough  stones  that  pro- 
jected unevenly  from  the  sides.  "  Go  down  a 
few  feet  and  wait  until  the  excitement  is  over." 

"  Will  you  come  with  me  ?  " 

Noel  hesitated  and  then  said,  "  No,  I  '11  not 


THE   FIRE  187 

stay  here.  There  will  be  more  danger  if  both 
of  us  try  to  hide  in  the  same  place.  I  '11  keep 
on,  and  after  a  while  you  follow  me  and  I  '11 
be  on  the  lookout  for  you,  and  not  very  far 
ahead." 

"  See  that  you  are,"  said  Dennis,  as  he  at 
once  prepared  to  make  his  descent  into  the 
forbidding  hole  which  his  companion  had  dis- 
covered. 

Without  waiting  to  discover  what  success 
attended  his  comrade's  efforts,  Noel  Curtis 
instantly  turned  and  resumed  his  flight. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

AT   THE  FORK 

Noel  ran  swiftly  forward  in  the  darkness  un- 
til at  last  he  was  compelled  to  stop  to  recover 
his  breath.  As  he  looked  behind  him  he  saw 
that  the  fire  on  the  plantation  manifestly  was 
dying  down.  There  was  one  spot  of  dull  red 
yet  to  be  seen  against  the  dark  horizon,  but 
the  flames  had  ceased. 

For  a  moment  he  was  tempted  to  turn  and 
bid  Dennis  join  him  in  his  flight ;  but  his  un- 
certainty as  to  the  exact  direction  in  which  to 
return  to  the  old  well,  and  his  confidence  that 
somehow  the  young  Irish  soldier  would  be 
able  to  make  his  way  through  the  surround- 
ing difficulties  caused  him  to  decide  to  con- 
tinue his  own  flight. 

The  young  soldier  soon  found  himself  in  a 
road  with  which  he  was,  of  course,  unfamiliar. 
He  also  was  ignorant  alike  of  the  location  of 
his  friends  and  his  enemies.  For  a  brief  time 
Noel  tried  to  discover  some  signs  which  would 
indicate  the  presence  or  the  passing  of  bodies 
of  troops,  but  his  efforts  were  unavailing,  and 


AT  THE  FORK  189 

at  last  he  turned  to  his  left  and  started  reso- 
lutely along  the  roadway. 

Frequently  the  young  soldier  stopped  to 
convince  himself  that  he  was  in  no  immedi- 
ate peril.  To  his  listening  ears,  however,  no 
sounds  of  danger  came.  The  silence  of  the 
night  was  unbroken,  and  from  the  occasional 
plantations  not  even  the  dogs  betrayed  any 
alarm  at  his  passing. 

Two  hours  or  more  had  elapsed,  and  Noel 
now  was  beginning  to  feel  the  effects  of  his  la- 
bors. Only  in  a  general  way  did  he  know  where 
he  wanted  to  go,  but  his  very  ignorance  had 
strengthened  his  nervous  fear  and  he  increased 
his  efforts  to  make  haste. 

Suddenly  the  young  soldier  was  aware  that 
a  dense  fog  was  settling  over  the  land.  Al- 
most like  raindrops  the  heavy  mist  rested  upon 
his  face  and  clothing.  He  was  able  to  see  but 
a  short  distance  before  him.  What  fears  or 
hopes  might  be  concealed  by  the  enfolding 
mist  he  did  not  know,  but  his  senses  were 
alert,  and  he  was  keenly  watchful  as  he  moved 
forward  in  the  darkness. 

He  had  not  advanced  far,  however,  when 
he  came  to  a  fork  in  the  road.  Almost  at 
right  angles  a  road  branched  which  plainly 
was  traveled  as  frequently  as  the  one  over 


190    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

which  he  had  journeyed.  Near  the  fork  the 
young  soldier  discovered  a  little  cabin,  about 
which  he  was  striving  to  make  some  investi- 
gations that  would  enable  him  to  decide  which 
road  to  follow.  The  little  building  was  near 
the  side  of  the  road,  and  as  Noel  saw  it  he 
abruptly  halted  and  listened  intently  for  any 
sounds  that  might  betray  the  presence  of  peo- 
ple within  it. 

It  was  almost  morning  by  this  time,  and 
though  the  fog  was  not  scattered,  the  light  of 
the  coming  day  presented  a  new  aspect  to  his 
surroundings.  Cautiously  the  young  soldier 
approached  the  little  cabin.  The  door  was 
open,  and  as  he  came  nearer  he  saw  that  there 
was  no  window  in  the  room.  Apparently  the 
place  was  deserted. 

At  last  with  renewed  caution  Noel  ap- 
proached the  door  and  hastily  glanced  within 
the  building.  In  spite  of  the  darkness  he 
was  convinced  that  he  was  the  only  one  in 
the  place.  His  impression  was  strengthened 
when  he  entered  and  found  that  apparently 
the  room  had  not  been  occupied  for  a  long 
time. 

So  tired  was  Noel  by  the  efforts  which  he 
had  made  in  his  flight  that  the  place  appeared 
almost  inviting.  At  all  events,  it  was  quiet  and 


AT  THE   F  191 

peaceful  and  he  flung  hin  3  ground 

and  soon  was  sleeping  sounuij. 

The  young  soldier  was  awakened  suddenly, 
and  as  he  opened  his  eyes,  at  first  he  was  un- 
able to  say  where  he  was.  Rays  of  the  early 
sunlight  were  streaming  through  the  open 
spaces  in  the  walls,  but  stronger  than  the  im- 
pression produced  by  the  morning  was  that 
of  the  sounds  which  he  heard  from  the  road. 

It  was  plain  that  horses  and  men  were  out- 
side the  building,  and  if  he  could  judge  from 
the  noise  there  were  many  of  both. 

Alarmed  as  Noel  was  by  what  he  heard, 
he  nevertheless  quickly  arose  and  cautiously 
looked  through  the  place  where  the  window 
had  been. 

The  sight  which  greeted  his  eyes  was  one 
which  might  well  have  startled  a  bolder  man 
than  the  young  soldier.  A  troop  of  cavalry 
had  halted  at  the  fork  in  the  road  and  were 
preparing  their  breakfast.  There  were  at  least 
fifty  men  in  the  band,  and  from  their  actions 
Noel  concluded  they  were  in  no  immediate 
fear  of  discovery  or  attack.  The  men  were 
not  noisy,  but  they  were  joking  with  one  an- 
other, and  plainly  were  interested  in  the  prep- 
arations which  were  being  made  for  their 
morning  meal.  Indeed,  the  odor  of  the  bacon 


192     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

which  was  being  broiled  over  the  several  fires 
which  had  been  kindled,  made  him  aware  that 
he,  too,  bad  eaten  little  since  he  had  fled  from 
his  pursuers  early  the  preceding  day. 

Occasional  words  were  overheard,  and  it 
was  not  difficult  for  the  young  soldier  to  con- 
clude that  the  men  before  him  belonged  to  a 
troop  of  Stuart's  cavalry,  and  that  apparently 
they  were  in  no  immediate  fear  of  the  Federal 
troops. 

As  the  young  soldier  looked  about  him  in 
the  morning  light  he  saw  that  the  building  in 
which  he  had  slept  was  old  and  dilapidated. 
One  corner  of  the  roof  had  fallen,  and  the 
place  was  so  small  that  no  one  passing  would 
believe  that  many  could  be  concealed  within 
its  walls.  At  all  events,  its  appearance  of  deso- 
lation undoubtedly  was  his  strongest  protec- 
tion, he  thought.  Not  one  of  the  cavalrymen 
would  think  of  inspecting  a  place  around 
which  the  bushes  and  weeds  were  growing 
and  within  which  no  one  was  likely  to  seek 
refuge. 

His  admiration  for  the  men  before  him  be- 
came stronger  as  he  continued  to  watch  their 
activities.  Not  only  were  they  well  trained,  but 
their  horses  were  wonderful  animals.  Some  of 
them  showed  the  effect  of  the  labors  of  the 


AT  THE  FORK  193 

campaign,  but  it  was  clear  that  both  men  and 
horses  made  up  a  carefully  selected  body. 

Noel,  as  has  been  said,  was  peering  anx- 
iously from  one  corner  of  the  little  window. 
An  exclamation  of  surprise  almost  escaped  his 
lips  when  suddenly  he  discovered  two  men  ap- 
proaching from  the  branch  road,  and  he  was 
convinced  that  one  was  Levi,  the  former  sut- 
ler in  the  camp  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  the 
other  was  the  husband  of  Sairy  Ann's  sister. 

It  became  evident  to  the  young  watcher  that 
the  arrival  of  both  men  was  expected.  At  all 
events,  an  orderly  ran  forward  to  meet  them, 
and  it  was  plain  from  the  conversation  which 
followed  that  neither  of  the  newcomers  was  a 
stranger  to  him. 

Noel's  desire  to  see  and  hear  more  became 
intense.  Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  sutler  and 
his  companion,  patrols  were  established  in  the 
three  roads.  The  chief  comfort  that  Noel  had 
at  the  time  was  the  conviction  that  his  hiding- 
place,  in  view  of  the  interest  which  the  arrival 
of  the  two  men  had  created,  was  not  likely  to 
receive  the  attention  of  the  cavalrymen. 

Except  for  a  few  faint  snatches  of  the  con- 
versation of  the  soldiers,  Noel,  despite  his 
efforts,  still  was  unable  to  overhear  much  of 
what  was  said. 


194    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Occasionally  words  came  to  him,  but  for  the 
most  part  they  were  meaningless.  The  impres- 
sion, however,  which  he  received  was  that  the 
newcomers  had  brought  information  which  was 
considered  of  importance,  for  the  men  soon 
were  hastily  preparing  to  leave  the  place,  al- 
though they  had  not  yet  finished  their  break- 
fast. 

By  this  time  the  fog  largely  had  been  burned 
away  by  the  rays  of  the  rising  sun.  When  a 
few  minutes  later  the  bugle  sounded,  the  men 
mounted  their  horses  and  in  a  body  departed 
swiftly,  leaving  behind  them  both  Levi  and  his 
strange  companion,  whom  Noel  had  first  seen 
in  the  house  of  the  elongated  Jim,  the  husband 
of  Sairy  Ann. 

The  two  men  sat  on  the  ground  near  one 
of  the  fires  which  was  still  burning,  and  over 
it  was  some  of  the  food  still  cooking  which  the 
soldiers  had  abandoned  in  their  sudden  depart- 
ure. The  conversation  between  the  two  could 
be  overheard  more  plainly,  and  as  Noel  listened 
his  interest  became  more  intense. 

"  Here,  don't  yo'  all  want  some  of  this  yere 
bacon?"  inquired  Levi's  companion. 

"  I  do  not  eat  bacon." 

"Why  don't  you  eat  it?" 

"  Because  it  vas  unclean." 


AT  THE  FORK  195 

"It's  as  clean  as  anything  you're  likely  to 
get  in  the  next  week  or  two,"  laughed  the 
man.  "  Now,  then,  Levi,  what  did  you  find 
out  ?  " 

"  Just  vat  I  tells  you." 

"  Yo'  're  perfectly  sure  ahout  that,  be  yo'  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  snapped  Levi.  "  Now  you  tells  me 
vat  you  haf  found." 

"  Not  very  much.  I  was  back  here  on  the 
major's  plantation,  and  he  said  there  were  some 
Yanks  at  the  nigger  hut  last  night,  but  that 
they  could  n't  find  any  trace  of  them  this 
mo'nin'.  One  of  the  cabins  burned  up  last 
night,  and  the  major  thinks  the  men  got  away 
while  all  hands  were  busy  puttin'  out  the  fire." 

"  How  many  did  you  say  der  vas  ? "  in- 
quired Levi. 

"  How  many  of  what  ?  " 

"  How  many  Yankees  vere  dere.  How  many 
got  avay  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  that.  I  heard 
the  major  say  he  was  sure  two,  anyway." 

"  Yah,  I  knows  dose  men,  I  vas  sure,  Dey 
are  de  two  men  what  robbed  me  of  mine  goots. 
Dey  push  over  mine  tent.  Dey  say  I  charge  too 
mooch.  Dey  steals  mine  goots.  Dot  is  vy  I  am 
no  more  some  Yankee." 

"  A  Yankee  !  "  exclaimed  his  companion  as 


196    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

he  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed  loudly. 
"  A  Yankee  !  Yo'  're  about  as  much  Yankee 
as  vo'  are  nigger." 

"  Not  too  far,  mine  friend.  Not  too  far. 
You  forget  dot  the  brains  of  the  Confederacy 
is  Jew  brains  —  " 

"  That  's  a  good  one  !  That 's  a  good  one !  " 
broke  in  Levi's  companion.  "Now,  then."  he 
added  more  soberly,  "are  yo'  all  eomin'  on 
with  me,  or  am  I  goin'  with  yo'  all  ?  The  cap- 
tain said  yo'  all  were  to  come  with  me.  Do  yo' 
know  where  we  're  goin'  ?  " 

"  I  know  vere  ve  vas  going  to  try  to  go," 
said  Levi.  "  Ever  since  dose  men  push  over 
mine  tent  and  steals  mine  goots,  I — " 

"  Well,  if  we  're  going,  why  don't  we  start  ? 
I  have  had  all  I  want  to  eat,"  broke  in  the 
other  man. 

Noel  could  see  that  neither  of  the  men  was 
clad  in  the  uniform  of  the  Confederate  army. 
His  suspicions  were  confirmed  that  both  were 
being  used  by  the  rebel  troops  to  secure  in- 
formation concerning  the  presence  and  the 
actions  of  McClellan's  army. 

Noel  was  desirous  of  hearing  the  men  speak 
more  concerning  their  immediate  plans,  but, 
although  it  was  plain  that  neither  was  sus- 
picious that  any  one  was  near,  almost  instinct- 


AT  THE   FORK  197 

ively  they  both  lowered  their  voices  whenever 
they  spoke  concerning  the  immediate  task 
which  confronted  them. 

An  interruption  was  provided,  however,  by 
Noel  himself.  A  sudden  impulse  to  sneeze  be- 
came almost  uncontrollable.  In  spite  of  his 
efforts  to  repress  the  impulse  Noel  soon  found 
that  he  was  unable  to  do  so,  and  after  several 
attempts  a  prolonged  and  agonizing  sound 
came  from  the  hut,  which  instantly  caused  the 
two  men  outside  to  leap  to  their  feet  and  gaze 
anxiously  at  the  little  building. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  STACK  OF  STRAW 

The  little  sutler  was  unarmed,  but  his  com- 
panion carried  a  rifle,  which  Noel  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  concluding  was  of  unusual  excellence. 
Grasping  the  weapon  in  his  hand,  the  man  in- 
stantly stood  leaning  forward  prepared  for  the 
appearance  of  an  enemy  from  the  place  from 
which  the  unexpected  sound  had  come. 

The  action  caused  Noel  at  once  to  draw 
farther  back  from  the  window,  although  he 
still  was  watching  the  movements  of  his  ene- 
mies outside.  The  expression  of  consternation 
that  appeared  on  their  faces,  as  well  as  the  man- 
ifest fear  of  Levi,  at  another  time  would  have 
caused  the  young  soldier  to  laugh  heartily. 
As  it  was,  however,  unarmed,  and  wearied  by 
the  labors  of  the  preceding  night,  and  facing 
one,  at  least,  who  would  not  hesitate  to  use 
his  rifle,  there  was  no  expression  of  mirth  on 
the  young  soldier's  face. 

"  Vat 's  dat  ?  "  Noel  heard  Levi  demand  of 
his  companion.  The  expression  of  alarm  on 
the  face  of   the   little  sutler   became   more 


THE   STACK   OF  STRAW  199 

marked  and  he  glanced  fearfully  about  him 
as  if  the  sound  might  be  repeated  from  some 
other  direction. 

« Why  don 't  yo '  all  go  into  the   shanty 
and  find  out  what  it  is?"  drawled  Levi's  c 
panion. 

"  I  haven 't  any  gun." 

"  Well,  I  shan  't  let  yo '  have  mine.  I 
should  not  dare  to  trust  myself  a  minute  here 
with  my  gun  in  your  hands.  Bad  enough  to 
be  shot  by  the  Yanks,  but  if  I  should  be  hit 
by  one  who  is  neither  fish,  fowl,  nor  good  red 
herring,  I  think  I  would  feel  worse  about  it." 

"  You  go  and  see  who  vas  in  dere." 

"I'm  a-goin '  to,"  said  the  man  in  a  low 
voice.  "That 's  just  what  I  'm  thinkin  '  of. 
I  reckon  yo  '11  find  it 's  some  nigger  who 's 
crawled  in  there  and  gone  to  sleep." 

As  if  in  answer  to  the  implied  question 
there  came  at  that  moment  from  the  hut  a 
sound  not  unlike  the  sneeze  which  had  pre- 
ceded it.  This  time,  however,  the  report  was 
suddenly  broken  as  if  the  guilty  party  had 
stifled  the  rising  sounds. 

Terrified  as  Noel  was  by  the  action  over 
which  he  had  no  control,  the  young  soldier 
nevertheless  peered  quickly  from  the  corner 
of  the  window  at  his  enemies,  whose  conster- 


200    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

nation,  he  saw,  was  much  more  marked  at  the 
repetition. 

Both  men  were  keenly  observant  of  the  lit- 
tle building,  and  it  was  manifest  now  that 
Levi's  companion  was  no  longer  hesitating. 

Advancing  boldly  several  yards  nearer  the 
little  building  he  stopped  and  in  a  loud  voice 
said,  "  Who  's  in  there  ?  Come  out  and  show 
yourself  ! " 

As  no  response  was  given  his  hail,  the  man 
waited  a  brief  time  and  then  repeated  his 
summons. 

"  Come  along  out  o'  that !  It  will  be  easier 
for  yo'  now  than  it  will  be  if  I  come  in  there 
toe  get  yo\  It 's  either  f  o'  yo'  toe  come  out 
yo'self,  or  be  dragged  out  by  some  one  else." 

Noel  was  preparing  to  obey  the  command 
when  to  his  surprise  he  was  suddenly  aware 
that  both  men  outside  were  no  longer  looking 
toward  the  building,  but  were  eagerly  watch- 
ing somebody  or  something  down  the  road. 
Almost  instinctively  the  young  soldier  fol- 
lowed their  action,  and  his  fears  were  in- 
creased when  he  saw  approaching  from  the 
distance  a  body  of  troops.  It  was  impossible, 
from  the  place  where  he  was  watching,  to  de- 
termine whether  the  men  belonged  to  the  Con- 
federate army  or  to  his  own.  There  were  sev- 


WHO  'S    IN    THERE  ?  " 


THE  STACK  OF  STRAW  201 

eral  horses  in  the  band,  but  whether  or  not 
it  was  a  cavalry  troop  that  he  saw  he  was  un- 
able to  determine. 

The  men  were  approaching  steadily,  and 
Noel,  aware  that  the  attention  of  Levi  and  his 
comrade  had  been  diverted,  at  least  for  the 
moment,  suddenly  darted  through  the  little 
door,  and  without  once  glancing  behind  him, 
at  full  speed  started  to  cross  the  open  field 
in  the  rear  of  the  hut. 

He  knew  he  would  not  long"  be  hidden  from 
the  view  of  the  men,  but  ever}'  yard  he  gained 
not  merely  provided  an  additional  incentive 
for  effort,  but  increased  his  possibility  of  es- 
caping. 

Without  once  glancing  behind  him  Noel 
ran  at  his  utmost  speed,  leaping  over  the  low 
rail  fence  as  he  came  to  the  border  of  the  field 
and  then  heading  directly  for  a  stack  of  straw 
which  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  neighboring 
field. 

As  he  drew  near  the  weather-beaten  pile  of 
straw  and  glanced  behind  him,  it  seemed  to 
him  that  some  of  the  men  had  started  in  pur- 
suit. 

He  was,  however,  not  positive,  but  his  fears 
were  sufficient  to  cause  him  to  run  quickly  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  stack  and  when  he 


202    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

was  once  more  beyond  the  vision  of  his  en- 
emies he  hastily  climbed  the  heap  which  was 
not  more  than  fifteen  feet  in  height. 

The  task  was  difficult  because  it  was  well- 
nigh  impossible  for  him  to  gain  any  firm  foot- 
hold, but  at  last  he  succeeded  and  did  not 
cease  his  endeavors  until  he  had  gained  the 
summit  of  the  pile.  Once  there  he  hastily  tore 
the  straw  apart,  which  to  his  surprise  was 
somewhat  loose,  and  burrowing  into  the  depths 
soon  made  a  hiding-place  large  enough  to  re 
ceive  him. 

Noel's  next  effort  was  to  tear  away  the 
straw  which  prevented  him  from  obtaining  a 
view  of  the  field  over  which  he  had  fled,  and 
when  he  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  peep- 
hole he  saw  that  his  fears  were  confirmed  and 
that  some  of  the  men  were  approaching  from 
the  road. 

It  was  impossible  for  the  troubled  boy  to 
know  whether  the  approaching  men  were 
searching  for  him  or  were  planning  to  pass 
his  hiding-place  without  giving  him  any  heed. 
The  men  were  coming  in  an  orderly  manner, 
holding  well  together,  and  there  wrere  many 
things  to  make  the  excited  young  soldier  hope 
that  he  was  not  the  object  of  their  search. 

Tremblingly  he  watched  the  men  as  they 


THE   STACK  OF   STRAW  203 

came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  when  at  last  a 
part  of  the  body  halted  and  began  an  inspec- 
tion of  the  straw-stack  in  which  he  was  hiding, 
his  alarm  became  great. 

In  the  midst  of  these  men  he  saw  the  little 
sutler,  Levi,  who  was  pointing  excitedly,  first, 
back  toward  the  road  from  which  they  had 
come,  and  then  toward  the  intervening  dis- 
tance between  the  place  where  he  was  stand- 
ing and  a  house  far  away. 

In  response  to  his  appeals  a  hasty  search  of 
the  straw-stack  was  made,  the  soldiers  moving 
in  opposite  directions  until  they  had  encircled 
the  place.  An  investigation  then  was  made 
around  the  bottom  of  the  pile,  apparently  no 
one  thinking  of  looking  to  the  top  where  the 
young  soldier  was  concealed.  It  was  evident 
that  the  men  were  in  haste  and  in  spite  of 
Noel's  fear  he  was  hopeful  that  they  would 
not  remain  long. 

His  expectation  was  fulfilled,  for,  after  the 
soldiers  had  circled  the  stack  and  some  of 
their  number  had  tried  to  discover  any  pos- 
sible hiding-places  around  the  base  of  the  pile, 
the  leader  shouted,  "  Come  on,  boys  !  We  must 
not  waste  any  more  time  here.  We  shan't  get 
to  the  Gap  befo'  every  Yank  has  surrendered." 

Noel  was  afraid  to  lift  his  head  far  above 


204    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  place  where  he  was  concealed.  Neverthe- 
less, when  he  heard  the  sounds  of  the  hoofs 
of  the  departing  horses,  he  did  venture  to  look 
out  on  the  scene  before  him. 

In  a  body  the  soldiers  were  speeding  swiftly 
across  the  intervening  field  without  once  glanc- 
ing behind  them.  So  interested  was  Noel  in 
the  sight  that  the  presence  of  the  little  sutler, 
for  the  moment,  was  forgotten.  Levi  was  not 
with  the  soldiers,  and  when  Noel  once  more 
drew  down  into  his  place  of  concealment  his 
thoughts  were  chiefly  concerned  with  the  de- 
parting enemy. 

For  a  time  the  young  soldier  remained  qui- 
etly in  his  hiding-place,  peering  out  through 
the  peep-hole  he  had  formed  between  the  straws. 
He  was  watching  the  road  near  the  place  where 
the  little  hut  in  which  he  had  hidden  was 
standing.  All  the  time  he  was  fearful  of  the 
coming  of  more  men. 

His  fears  were  not  without  foundation,  for 
within  a  few  minutes  another  band  was  seen 
approaching. 

Tremblingly  the  boy  watched  them  as  they 
rode  swiftly  down  the  road,  but  as  they  did 
not  halt  at  the  fork  a  feeling  of  intense  relief 
swept  over  his  heart.  It  was  manifest  now  that 
the  men  who  had  investigated  the  straw-stack 


THE   STACK  OF  STRAW  205 

had  turned  aside  from  the  regular  course  which 
the  main  body  was  following. 

The  thought  caused  Noel  once  more  to  look 
in  the  direction  in  which  the  men  had  disap- 
peared. He  was  unable  to  discover  their  pres- 
ence, however,  even  the  distant  house  toward 
which  they  had  been  speeding  now  being  to 
all  appearances  as  harmless  as  the  little  cabin 
in  which  he  had  sought  refuge. 

As  we  know,  Noel's  coat  was  gone  and  the 
remaining  parts  of  his  uniform  had  been  so 
discolored  by  his  flight  along  the  muddy  roads 
that  he  was  not  without  hope  that  even  if  he 
were  discovered  his  clothing  would  not  betray 
him.  The  boy  was  hungry  and  intensely  thirsty. 
His  mouth  was  parched,  and  at  the  time  it 
almost  seemed  to  him  that  he  could  endure 
his  torment  no  longer. 

The  nearest  place  where  he  was  likely  to 
obtain  relief  was  the  farmhouse  in  the  distance 
toward  which  the  investigating  party  had  fled. 
Noel  convinced  himself  that  he  would  incur 
no  risk  if  he  should  follow  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, for  doubtless  the  soldiers  would  not  remain 
about  the  place;  at  least,  their  conversation 
implied  that  they  were  in  haste  to  arrive  at 
some  "  Gap."  The  location  of  any  such  place 
was  entirely  unknown  to  him. 


206    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

After  he  had  waited  several  minutes  more, 
Noel  finally  decided  that  he  could  endure  his 
sufferings  no  longer.  His  eyes,  ears,  and  nose 
seemed  to  be  filled  with  the  dust  that  had 
accumulated  for  months  in  the  neglected  stack. 
His  muscles  were  cramped  and  sore  from  re- 
maining so  long  in  one  position,  as  he  had  not 
dared  to  move,  for  fear  of  causing  some  of 
the  straw  to  slide  from  its  place. 

At  last  he  decided  that  he  would  attempt 
to  find  relief  at  the  far-away  house.  Slowly 
and  cautiously  he  climbed  from  the  hole  in 
the  stack,  frequently  pausing  to  look  up  and 
then  down  the  road  and  make  sure  that  his 
actions  were  not  observed.  As  soon  as  he  was 
convinced  that  the  road  was  free  from  his 
enemies  he  quickly  slipped  over  the  side.  As 
he  struck  the  ground  an  exclamation  escaped 
him  when  his  fall  was  broken  by  the  body  of 
a  man  directly  beneath  him. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    CARPET-BAG 

Noel  was  conscious  of  a  low  cry  from  the  man 
upon  whom  he  had  fallen,  and  then  instantly 
each  savagely  clutched  the  other.  There  was 
a  struggle,  which  was  short  and  violent,  and 
Noel  found  himself  holding  to  the  ground  the 
body  of  Levi,  the  sutler. 

"  Father  Abraham ! "  ejaculated  Levi. 
"  Father  Abraham !  Let  me  up  !  Let  me  up !  " 

The  surprise  of  Noel,  when  he  discovered 
who  his  captive  was,  did  not  detract  from  his 
inclination  to  laugh  as  he  heard  the  exclama- 
tions of  the  little  sutler. 

Without  rising  and  still  holding  his  prisoner 
fast  to  the  ground,  Noel  said,  "  What  are  you 
doing  here,  Levi  ?  " 

u  You  vill  let  me  up  and  I  vill  leave  so  quick 
you  shall  not  see  me." 

"  Before  you  go  I  want  to  know  what 
you're  doing  here.  Were  you  spying  on  me?  " 

"  Not  von  leedle  bit.  I  deed  not  know  you 
vas  here.  Father  Abraham !  Vot  a  pinch  you 
gif  mine  arm  !  " 


208    THE    SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  You  want  to  be  thankful  it  was  only  your 
arm,  Levi.  Now  you  tell  me  what  you  were 
doing  here  ! " 

"  I  vas  chust  stopping  for  to  see  vich  vay 
the  men  vas  going." 

"  What  men  ?  " 

"  Der  men  vot  vas  soldiers  for  the  Johnnie 
Rebs." 

"  Did  you  find  any  of  them  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  see  some  going  up  mit  der  road. 
Dey  vas  all  gone,  and  den  I  starts  for  der 
house  over  yonder  for  to  sell  somedings  vot  I 
carry  in  mine  bag." 

"  I  believe  you  knew  I  was  here  all  the 
time." 

"  Nefer  did  I  know  you  vas  here.  Father 
Abraham !  I  vish  you  vere  not  here  now.  If  you 
vill  be  gone  I  too  vill  go  so  fast  you  shall  not 
see  me  in  two  minutes." 

Aware  of  the  perils  which  recently  had 
threatened  him,  Noel  was  not  inclined  either 
to  prolong  the  interview  or  to  compel  his 
prisoner  to  remain  longer  on  the  ground. 
Grasping  the  little  sutler  by  his  shoulder  Noel 
quickly  yanked  him  to  his  feet,  but  without 
relaxing  his  grasp. 

"  Levi,  what  have  you  got  in  that  bag  ?  " 
he  demanded. 


THE  CARPET-BAG  209 

u  Somedings  vot  I  sells  to  the  vimmins  ven 
der  men  vas  gone  off  to  the  var.  Dot  vos 
all.  You  shall  belief  mine  vord.  I  chust  carry 
somedings  vat  cannot  be  had  ven  the  armies 
vas  so  near  by." 

"Let  me  see  what  you  have/'  suggested 
Noel,  as,  compelling  his  prisoner  to  advance 
with  him  he  moved  toward  the  bag  which  Levi 
had  left  on  the  ground  near  the  base  of  the 
straw-stack. 

"  No,  I  shall  not  do  so ! "  screamed  the  little 
sutler.  "  You  shall  not  open  mine  bag.  It  vas 
mine." 

Noel's  suspicions,  greatly  increased  by  the 
manifest  alarm  of  the  sutler,  were  almost  strong 
enough  to  induce  him  to  send  his  prisoner 
away  and  appropriate  the  bag.  From  the  ex- 
pressions he  already  had  heard,  he  was  aware 
that  Levi  was  playing  a  dual  part,  or  at  least 
he  believed  him  now  to  be  in  the  employ  of 
the  Confederates. 

Before  he  acted,  however,  he  turned  once 
more  to  his  prisoner  and  said  sharply,  u  How 
long  since  you  have  been  inside  our  lines?" 

"I  do  not  go  in  der  lines  of  der  Yankees," 
:otested  Levi.  "  Dey  vas  steal  mine  goots. 
>ey  vas  take  vat  vas  not  theirs.  I  lose  more 
ior   two   hundred  dollars  ven  you  and  dot 


210    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Dennis  tear  mine  tent  and  tip  ofer  mine 
goots." 

The  expression  of  hatred  which  appeared 
upon  the  sutler's  face  when  he  referred  to 
Dennis  strengthened  the  conviction  in  the 
heart  of  Noel  that  his  prisoner  certainly  did 
not  entertain  any  cordial  feelings  for  the  boys 
in  blue. 

Noel,  boylike,  unmindful  of  the  justice  of 
the  little  sutler's  complaints,  was  greatly  an- 
gered at  the  treachery  of  his  comrade. 

"  How  long  since  you  have  been  in  the  Con- 
federate lines?"  he  demanded  sharply. 

"  I  do  not  go  dere  either.  I  have  tolt  you 
vat  mine  peesness  vas.  I  sells  mine  goots  to 
the  peoples  vat  may  he  at  home." 

"All  right,  then,"  said  Noel.  "  You  let  me 
see  what  is  in  your  bag,  and  I  '11  believe 
you." 

"  I  shall  not  trust  von  Yankee  soldier ! " 
screamed  Levi.  "  You  shall  not  open  mine 
bag.  I  haf  already  had  mine  droubles  mit  der 
Yankees.  Dey  tears  mine  tent  and  tips  ofer 
mine  goots  and  steals  vot  vas  mine.  I  shall  not 
open  mine  bag  for  you  yet  von  leedle  bit." 

"  Too  bad,"  said  Noel,  more  soberly.  "  Then 
I  shall  have  to  open  it  myself,  I  suppose." 

"  No !  No  ! "  screamed  Levi  in  tones  still 


THE  CARPET-BAG  211 

er.  "  Father  Abraham  !  Father  Abraham ! 
.11  call  for  some  helps !  " 
Levi,"  said  Noel  abruptly,  "  I  think  I  shall 
you  away  and  take  your  bag  myself." 

-•  jTou  shall  not  do  so !  "  protested  the  sutler 
noisily.  "  You  shall  not  take  mine  bag  !  It  vas 
mine,  I  dells  you  !  It  vas  not  yours.  You  shall 
not  have  it." 

"  Then  let  me  see  what  there  is  in  there." 

"  If  I  open  mine  bag  von  leedle  bit,  you  vill 
take  vot  is  not  yours.  I  haf  known  you.  You 
are  von  of  dose  Yankee  soldiers.  Dey  tears 
mine  tent  and  tips  ofer  mine  goots  and  takes 
vat  vas  not  theirs.  I  shall  not  gif  you  von 
chance,  not  even  one  leedle  bit  of  a  chance." 

"I'm  sorry,"  said  Noel,  "but  I'm  afraid, 
then,  that  I  shall  have  to  take  it  myself."  As 
he  spoke  Noel  moved  as  if  he  was  about  to 
seize  the  bag,  and  instantly  the  little  sutler, 
rushing  savagely  upon  him,  began  to  kick  and 
strike,  and  before  Noel  was  prepared  to  resist 
the  sudden  onslaught  Levi  bit  him  severely 
on  the  hand. 

Aroused  by  the  sudden  attack  and  mad- 
dened by  the  pain  which  Levi's  bite  had  caused, 
Noel  flung*  the  little  sutler  far  from  him  and 
eagerly  watched  him  as  he  rolled  over  upon 
the  ground. 


212     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIETAM 

Almost  as  nimbly  as  a  monkey  the  sutler 
leaped  to  his  feet,  and  instead  of  trying  to  run 
from  the  place  started  once  more  fiercely  at  his 
enemy. 

Noel  was  prepared  for  the  attack  now,  and 
as  Levi  ran  savagely  upon  him  he  thrust  out 
his  right  foot  and,  at  the  same  time  giving  him 
a  hard  push,  sent  him  once  more  sprawling  upon 
the  ground.  This  time  he  did  not  wait  for  the 
sutler  to  recover  from  his  fall  but  at  once  ad- 
vanced and  seized  his  carpet-bag. 

The  sight  of  his  possessions  in  the  hands  of 
Noel  again  proved  too  much  for  Levi's  feel- 
ings. In  a  thin,  piping  voice  he  screamed, 
"  Father  Abraham  !  Father  Abraham  !  You 
shall  not  steal  from  mine  bag.  It  vas  not 
yours.  You  vas  like  some  of  dose  Yankee 
soldiers.  Dey  tears  mine  tent  and  tips  ofer 
mine  goots  and  takes  vot  vas  not  theirs.  I 
shall  shoot ! " 

Startled  by  the  threat,  Noel  glanced  keenly 
at  Levi,  who  was  almost  beside  himself  with 
rage,  to  see  if  any  weapons  were  upon  his  per- 
son. He  had  not  thought  of  the  sutler  as  one 
who  would  carry  firearms  of  any  kind.  The 
man  was  undersized  and  was  lacking  in 
physical  strength.  Noel  had  never  thought 
of  him  other  than  as  a  weakling  and  one  who 


THE  CARPET-BAG  213 

might  obtain  his  way  by  deception  rather 
than  by  force.  The  thought  that  he  might  be 
armed  was  startling,  and  before  the  man  could 
act  Noel  leaped  forward  and,  seizing  him  again, 
threw  him  upon  the  ground,  where  he  satisfied 
himself  that  no  pistols  were  in  his  posses- 
sion. 

"  You  go  back  from  here  the  way  you  came," 
ordered  Noel  as  he  swung  his  prisoner  in  his 
arms  and,  giving  him  a  violent  push,  sent  him 
in  the  direction  he  had  indicated. 

But  Levi  was  not  to  be  so  easily  turned 
aside  from  his  purpose.  Once  more  he  leaped 
toward  his  tormentor,  who  now  had  taken  the 
carpet-bag  in  his  hands  and  stood  facing  him. 
Screaming,  chattering,  lamenting,  Levi  would 
have  been  a  pathetic  object  under  other  cir- 
cumstances. But  Noel  was  so  thoroughly  con- 
vinced that  in  the  bag  which  he  held  in  his 
hands  he  would  find  something  of  value  to 
the  leaders  of  his  army  that  he  was  determined 
now  to  investigate  the  contents  and  compel 
the  little  Jew  to  give  it  over. 

Levi 's  screams  of  impotent  rage  and  his 
childish  attempts  to  compel  Noel  to  relax  his 
hold  upon  the  bag  were  alike  without  avail. 
At  last  the  young  soldier  said  more  sternly  to 
the  angry  sutler,  "Levi,  if  you  know  when 


214    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

you  are  well  off  you  '11  leave  this  place  as  I 
told  you.  Now,  go  !  " 

There  was  something  in  Noel 's  voice  that 
caused  Levi  to  heed  the  command.  Tears 
were  coursing  down  his  cheeks  and  his  two 
little  fists  were  working  very  much  after  the 
manner  of  a  pump-handle  when  he  saw  the 
expression  on  the  face  of  his  captor,  and, 
aware  that  further  efforts  would  be  useless,  he 
abruptly  turned  away  and,  without  once  glanc- 
ing behind  him,  sped  swiftly  toward  the  fork 
in  the  road  from  which  he  had  come. 

For  a  brief  time  Noel  watched  the  man  as 
he  sped  across  the  field,  and  then  suddenly, 
aware  that  his  own  problems  were  sufficient  to 
demand  his  entire  attention,  he  turned  toward 
the  house  in  the  distance. 

He  had  expected  to  learn  from  Levi  the  di- 
rection in  which  the  Union  troops  might  be 
found,  but  his  sudden  determination  to  inves- 
tigate the  carpet-bag,  as  soon  as  he  discovered 
that  it  was  not  heav}r,  had  changed  his  plans. 
Levi  was  gone  and  if  he  possessed  the  desired 
information  he  had  taken  it  with  him. 

And  yet  Noel  Curtis  was  aware  that  his  own 
predicament  was  such  that  if  other  bodies  of 
the  Confederate  cavalrymen  should  soon  pass 
along  the  road,  Levi  would  be  able  to  inform 


THE  CARPET-BAG  215 

them  of  what  had  occurred.  If  his  suspicions 
were  correct,  that  the  contents  of  the  carpet- 
bag were  of  considerable  value,  there  would  be 
an  added  incentive  for  the  little  sutler  to  res- 
cue them. 

Perhaps  Noel's  decision  to  start  toward  the 
house  which  he  saw  in  the  distance  was  formed 
simply  because  it  was  the  only  place  within 
sight  which  indicated  the  presence  of  people. 
His  own  plight  now  was  such  that  he  keenly 
felt  the  need  of  food  and  drink.  No  little 
streams  were  near  him,  and  as  for  food  there 
were  no  indications  that  the  shallow  soil  itself 
had  produced  any  of  late. 

His  determination  once  fixed,  Noel,  with 
the  carpet-bag  firmly  grasped  in  his  hand, 
moved  swiftly  across  the  field  toward  the  dis- 
tant house. 

Twice  he  stopped  and  looked  back  to  see 
whether  or  not  Levi  had  held  to  his  course. 
Once  he  saw  thje  little  sutler,  but  he  was 
moving  steadily  toward  the  fork  in  the  road. 
The  second  time  Noel  looked  he  was  unable 
to  see  the  man  anywhere.  Concluding  that 
Levi  had  sought  the  little  building  in  which 
he  himself  had  found  shelter  a  short  time  be- 
fore, Noel's  efforts  increased,  and  he  ran  swiftly 
toward  the  place  he  was  seeking. 


216    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

When  Noel  drew  nearer  the  house  he  was 
aware  of  the  aspect  of  neglect  and  even  of 
dejection  that  was  manifested  by  every  living 
object  within  his  sight.  The  two  dogs,  which 
came  out  of  the  building  as  soon  as  they  were 
aware  of  his  approach,  were  mangy  and  spirit- 
less. Even  the  few  chickens  in  the  yard  seemed 
to  be  affected  by  the  general  air  of  desolation. 
The  fence  was  broken  in  many  places,  the  gate 
was  lying  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  as  for  paint 
or  whitewash,  it  had  been  long  since  the  house 
or  barns  had  seen  anything  of  that  kind. 

The  young  soldier  halted  a  moment  to  make 
certain  that  no  enemies  were  near  the  planta- 
tion. Satisfied  that  his  fears  for  the  time  were 
without  foundation,  and  still  holding  firmly 
to  the  carpet-bag  which  he  had  taken  from 
the  little  sutler,  Noel  boldly  approached  the 
kitchen  door.  His  purpose  now  was  merely 
to  obtain  food,  and  then  to  push  forward  on 
his  way  to  rejoin  the  army  from  which  he  had 
been  separated  so  long. 

Advancing  boldly,  he  rapped  loudly  upon 
the  door,  which  sagged  like  everything  else 
about  the  place.  All  these  things  were  for- 
gotten, however,  when  he  looked  into  the  face 
of  the  person  who  answered  his  summons. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A   MYSTERY 

Before  him  stood  the  sister  of  Sairy  Ann, 
whom  he  had  heard  the  latter  address  as  'Liza 
Jane.  That  her  sympathies  were  not  with  the 
side  for  which  he  was  fighting  Noel  well  knew, 
but  his  great  fear  as  he  saw  the  woman  was 
that  her  husband  might  not  be  far  away. 

Noel  recalled  the  contempt  with  which  Sairy 
Ann  had* referred  to  her  sister  as  one  of  the 
"  secesh,"  and,  in  spite  of  his  alarm  at  the 
discovery  of  her  presence,  he  smiled  as  he 
recalled  the  sharp  declaration  of  Sairy  Ann 
that  in  her  will  she  had  left  her  shoestrings 
to  her  "  beloved  sister,  'Liza  Jane." 

Before  he  spoke  Noel  quickly  decided  that  he 
would  try  to  find  out  whether  or  not  the  woman 
recognized  him.  He  did  not  believe  that  she 
had  seen  him  when  he  had  been  in  her  sister's 
house,  and  yet  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
determine  whether  his  confidence  was  well 
founded  or  not. 

To  all  appearances  no  man  was  near.  What 
he  had  taken  for  the  "big  house  "  of  a  plan- 


218     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

tation  when  he  had  seen  the  place  in  the  dis- 
tance, he  now  saw  was  only  a  bare  habitation, 
and  the  "  plantation  "  had  decreased  to  a  few 
uncultivated  and  unfruitful  acres.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  woman  herself  was  not  unlike  that 
of  her  surroundings. 

"  Well,"  demanded  Eliza  Jane,  "  who  be 
yo'  ?  Whar  do  yo'  all  come  from  ?  What  be 
yo'  alldom   here?" 

"  Is  your  husband  at  home  ? "  inquired 
Noel. 

"  No,  he  ain't  to  home.  What  do  yo'  want 
toe  see  him  fo'  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  don't  want  to  see  him;  I  just 
wanted  to  know  whether  he  was  here  or  not. 
In  fact  I  don't  want  to  see  anybody  just  now," 
continued  Noel,  siniling  in  such  a  way  thai 
the  suspicions  of  the  questioner  were  appar- 
ently relieved  in  part. 

"  Has  Levi  been  here  lately  ?  "  asked  Noel 
abruptly. 

"  Maybe  he  has  and  maybe  he  has  n't,"  said 
the  woman.  "  I  can't  keep  track  of  Sam  Tol- 
liver's  doin's.  He  has  all  kinds  of  men  here. 
Who  is  Levi  ?  " 

"  Why,  he  is  a  little  sutler  that  used  to  be 
in  the  Yankee  army  and  now  is  doing  what 
he  can  for  —  " 


A  MYSTERY  219 

"  I  reckon  he 's  been  here/'  spoke  up  the 
woman  promptly.  "  What  might  yo'  all  want 
o' him?" 

"  I  don't  want  anything  of  him  just  now," 
said  Noel,  his  face  again  lighting  up  with  the 
smile  which  won  him  friends  on  every  side. 
"  What  I  want  now  is  something  to  eat.  I  'm 
as  hungry  as  a  bear  and  almost  as  thirsty  as 
I  am  hungry.  Can  you  help  me  ?  I  shan't  be 
able  to  pay  you  — " 

"  Who  said  anything  about  pay  in'  ?  "  broke 
in  the  woman.  "  I  ain't  got  much  fo'  toe  eat, 
but  I  reckon  pa't  of  what  I  has  is  fo'  yo'  all. 
Come  in  and  set  ye  down  at  the  kitchen  table 
and  I  '11  see  what  I  can  do  fo'  yo'." 

Too  hungry  and  thirsty  to  delay,  Noel 
promptly  accepted  the  invitation,  and  after 
he  had  washed  his  face  and  hands,  he  eagerly 
took  his  place  at  the  table  as  the  woman  di- 
rected. 

The  young  soldier  was  well  aware  that  he 
was  in  the  midst  of  perils.  If  the  husband  of 
his  hostess  should  return  or  Levi  should  come, 
his  position  was  not  one  to  be  envied.  Not 
that  he  was  afraid  of  either  of  the  men  in 
a  personal  encounter ;  but  he  was  unarmed, 
while  the  man  whom  Eliza  Jane  had  called 
Sam  Tolliver  was  doubtless  thoroughly  armed 


220    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

and  desperate.  Besides,  if  he  was  playing  the 
part  which  Noel  suspected,  and  was  obtaining 
information  concerning  the  plans  and  move- 
ments of  the  Federal  troops  and  reporting  the 
knowledge  to  the  leaders  of  the  Confederates, 
he  was  well  aware  that  the  man  was  one  to  be 
feared. 

Noel's  meditations  were  interrupted  by  the 
approach  of  his  hostess  who  placed  some  corn- 
bread  and  a  small  jug  of  molasses  upon  the 
table  before  him. 

"  'T  is  about  the  best  pore  folks  can  have 
these  days,"  she  said.  "  I  don't  know  how  I 
happened  to  save  that  ther'  molasses,  but  Sam 
never  likes  his  co'n-bread  unless  he  can  po' 
molasses  over  it,  and  we  had  a  barrel  put  in 
the  cellar  before  the  Yanks  started  all  this 
trouble." 

"  I  don't  want  to  rob  you,"  said  Noel. 

"  Who  said  anything  about  yo'  robbin'  me  ? 
I  reckon  I  have  n't  got  much  that  would  pay 
any  robber  toe  take.  If  yo'  all  don't  like  that 
molasses,  why,  jest  say  so." 

"  I  do  like  it,"  said  Noel,  "  and  I  am  grate- 
ful to  you  for  giving  it  to  me." 

Without  further  delay  the  young  soldier  at 
once  began  his  breakfast,  all  the  time  aware 
that  the  woman  was  watching  him  with  an 


A  MYSTERY  221 

oression  which  gave  evidence  that  her  feel- 

;  was  more  than  mere  hospitality. 

finally,  unable  to  resist  her  curiosity  longer, 
broke  in  :  "  What  pa't  of  the  No'th  do  yo' 
all  come  from  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  know  I  am  from  the  North  ? 
What  makes  you  think  that  ?  " 

"Jest  as  soon  as  I  heard  yo'  all  talk,"  said 
the  woman,  "  I  knew  yo'  was  a  Yank.  Strange 
how  queer  th'  Yanks  talk." 

Noel  laughed  and  did  not  give  expression 
to  his  own  feeling  that  the  dialect  that  he  had 
heard  in  the  South  had  impressed  him  much 
the  same  way  as  his  hostess  had  been  im- 
pressed by  the  voices  and  words  of  the  North- 
ern soldiers. 

"I  reckon,"  she  continued,  "that  yo'  all 
are  one  of  McClellan's  men,  though  what  yo' 
all  are  doin'  over  yere  is  more  than  I  can  un- 
derstand. Yo'  all  are  not  looking  fo'  my  man, 
Sam,  are  yo'  ?" 

"I  assure  you  that  I  am  not,"  said  Noel 
promptly.  And  the  young  soldier  spoke  hon- 
estly, for  of  all  men  Sam  Tolliver  was  the  one 
he  least  desired  to  see  at  the  time. 

"  Run  away  from  the  army  ?  "  inquired  the 
woman. 

"No." 


222    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Well,  then,  what  are  yo'  all  doin'  out 
yere  ?  I  see  yo'  ain't  got  no  coat,  but  in  spite 
of  the  dirt  I  can  see  that  yo'  pants  is  the  same 
as  all  th'  Yankee  soldiers  wear." 
¥  u  How  far  is  the  Northern  army  from  here  ?  " 
inquired  Noel,  without  answering  her  ques- 
tion. 

"  That 's  more  than  I  can  say.  Sometimes 
they  say  it 's  in  one  place  and  then  again  they 
say  it  's  in  'nother.  If  Sam  was  here  he  could 
tell  yo\  Sam  knows  more  than  any  man  I  ever 
see." 

Noel  did  not  explain  his  suspicions  that 
Sam's  knowledge  included  some  things  which 
he  knew  and  some  things  which  he  did  not 
know. 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  see  very  much  of  him 
now,"  he  said  aloud. 

"  Not  as  much  as  I  used  toe,"  said  the  wo- 
man, "  though  bef o'  the  war  Sam  used  to  go 
out  with  houn'  dogs  and  be  gone  days  at  a 
time  huntin'  rabbits.  He  was  a  pow'ful  good 
shot." 

"  He  must  have  kept  you  pretty  well  sup- 
plied with  rabbits,"  suggested  Noel. 

"  Sometimes  he  did  and  sometimes  he 
did  n't,"  replied  Eliza*  Jane.  "  Sometimes  the 
pesky  little  varmints  would  get  away  befo' 


A  Ml  223 

Sam  had  a  chance  toe  w  seemed  toe 

know  that  he  was  a  de  >t." 

Noel's  suspicions  as  to  tnc  prowess  of  the 
wonderful  Sam  once  more  were  not  voiced. 
He  was  content  if  only  the  woman  would  feed 
him  and  permit  him  to  depart  without  further 
trouble. 

"  Sam  says/'  continued  the  woman,  whose 
readiness  to  talk  was  manifest,  "that  there 
isn't  goin'  toe  be  much  left  o'  the  Yanks 
pretty  quick.  He  thinks  there  is  goin'  toe  be 
some  fiofhtin'  befo'  long:  and  the  Yanks  will 
get  whipped  worse  'n  they  were  at  Manassas. 
I  would  jes'  like  toe  see  my  sister,  Sairy  Ann. 
I  wonder  what  she'll  think  of  the  secesh 
then.  She  can  keep  her  old  shoestrings  if  she 
wants  'em !  You  know  she 's  my  own  sister 
and  she's  worth  a  lot  of  money.  Befo'  the 
war  she  had  nigh  on  toe  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. Think  of  Sairy  Ann  leaving  me  in  her 
will  nothin'  but  her  shoestrings  !  I  believe 
she  joined  the  Yanks  jest  a  purpose  so  she 
could  turn  ag'in  her  own  relations.  Shoe- 
strings ! "  snapped  the  woman,  whose  recol- 
lection of  her  sister's  generosity  renewed  her 
feeling  of  anger. 

By  this  time  Noel's  hunger  had  been  ap- 
peased in  a  measure  and  he  was  eager  to  be 


224    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

gone.  Before  he  arose  from  his  seat  at  the 
table  he  turned  again  to  his  hostess  and  said 
simply,  "Do  you  know  where  the  Northern 
army  is?" 

"I  done  tole  yo',"she  replied  tartly,  "  that 
sometimes  'tis  said  toe  be  in  one  place  and 
sometimes  in  another." 

"  Where  is  it  reported  to  be  now?" 

"  I  can't  say.  Now,  if  Sam  was  home — " 

Without  waiting  for  further  enlightenment 
as  to  the  knowledge  and  ability  of  the  missing 
Sam,  Noel  said,  "  Well,  if  you  cannot  tell  me 
where  the  army  is,  you  can  tell  me  the  road 
to  take." 

"  No,  I  can't.  Yo'  all  might  take  mos'  any 
road  an'  the  first  thing  yo'  know  yo'  would  run 
right  into  MeClellan's  troops,  an'  then  ag'in 
yo'  might  run  intoe  General  Lee's." 

u  At  all  events,"  said  Noel,  "  I  'm  grateful 
to  you  for  your  kindness  to  me.  You  have 
taken  me  in,  and  though  I  was  a  stranger — " 

"  But  I  ain't  been  entertainin'  no  angel  un- 
awares," snapped  the  woman.  "  You  don't 
look  to  me  very  much  like  a  angel,  with  that 
mud  on  yo'  pants.  I  am  thinkin',  too,"  she 
added,  as  she  glanced  out  of  the  window, 
"  that  it  might  be  well  fo'  yo'  toe  start  right 
soon,  that  is  if  yo'  're  goin'  toe  go." 


A  MYSTERY  225 

"What's  the  trouble?"  demanded  Noel, 
leaping  to  his  feet  and  running  to  the  side  of 
the  woman,  where  he  looked  anxiously  out  of 
the  window. 

The  statement  of  Eliza  Jane  was  correct,  for 
a  small  body  of  men  was  moving  in  an  orderly 
manner  up  the  road.  Noel  watched  them  with 
keen  interest,  and  at  first  was  unable  to  deter- 
mine to  which  side  in  the  conflict  they  be- 
longed. 

His  interest  changed  to  alarm  when  he  saw 
the  men  abruptly  halt,  and  then,  at  the  com- 
mand of  their  leader,  turn  into  the  yard  lead- 
ing directly  to  the  house. 

The  woman  by  his  side  had  not  spoken,  but 
when  she  exclaimed,  "  Them 's  Yanks,"  Noel 
also  made  the  discovery  at  the  same  moment. 
The  approaching  men  belonged  to  his  own 
army,  and  in  the  thought  of  being  once  more 
among  his  friends  and  comrades  the  heart  of 
the  young  soldier  suddenly  was  lightened. 
Rushing  to  the  door  he  ran  across  the  yard  to 
meet  the  boys  in  blue. 

To  his  consternation  as  he  drew  near,  he 
discovered  that  Dennis  was  among  the  num- 
ber, and  also  that  he  was  a  prisoner.  Just 
what  this  meant,  Noel  was  unable  to  conjec- 
ture, but   his   interest   in   his   comrade  was 


226    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

speedily  banished  when  to  his  amazement  he 
saw  Levi,  the  little  sutler,  also  in  the  company, 
talking  eagerly  to  the  captain  and  pointing 
excitedly  toward  Noel  as  he  spoke. 


CHAPTER  XXni 

THE    GUARD-HOUSE 

The  subject  concerning  which  the  little  sutler 
and  the  captain  were  conversing  soon  became 
manifest  to  Noel.  The  officer  turned  sharply 
to  him,  and  as  he  did  so  the  young  soldier  was 
no  longer  able  to  discover  the  presence  of  Levi 
in  the  band. 

"  There 's  no  use  in  your  trying  to  get  away 
now,"  exclaimed  the  officer. 

" '  Get  away  ! '  "  responded  Noel,  astounded 
by  the  suggestion.  u  That 's  the  last  thing  in 
the  world  I  want  to  do !  I  have  been  looking 
for  you  or  some  of  the  boys  in  blue  for  more 
than  —  " 

"  That  ?s  a  likely  story  !  "  interrupted  the 
young  captain.  "  You  can  explain  that  to  the 
colonel  after  we  are  back  in  the  lines." 

"  I  'm  perfectly  willing  to  explain  it  to  the 
colonel,"  declared  Noel.  "And  I'll  explain  it 
to  you  now." 

"  There 's  no  use  in  that.  I  'm  afraid  your 
explanations  won't  do  you  any  good." 

"What  do  you  think  I  am?"  demanded 
Noel  angrily. 


228    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

All  the  men  in  the  band  now  were  listening 
intently,  and  Noel  was  aware  that  he  was 
under  a  cloud  that  might  not  easily  be  dis- 
pelled. 

"I  know  what  you  are.  You  are  a  de- 
serter." 

In  spite  of  the  charge  Noel  laughed,  but  he 
was  sobered  instantly  when  he  saw  that  every 
man  before  him  firmly  believed  him  to  be  what 
the  officer  had  charged. 

"  I  'm  no  deserter !  "  declared  Noel  hotly. 
"  I  happened  to  be  outside  the  lines  at  Har- 
per's Ferry  and  the  Rebels  took  me.  I  have 
been  doing  my  best  to  get  to  the  army  ever 
since." 

"  You  look  as  if  you  had  been  trying," 
sneered  the  officer.  "  Come  on.  There  's  no  use 
in  talking  any  more.  You  come  with  us  and 
we  will  turn  you  over  to  the  colonel." 

"Is  that  man  a  deserter,  too?"  inquired 
Noel  as  he  pointed  to  Dennis. 

"  He  is.  6  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together/ 
I  guess  that  's  why  we  found  two  of  you  to- 
day. There  must  be  a  baker's  dozen  of  them 
altogether.  I  don't  know  what  will  be  done 
with  you,  but  I  can  tell  you  one  thing,  you 
are  n't  going  to  lie  on  any  bed  of  roses  to-night 
after  we  get  back." 


THE   GUARD-HOUSE  229 

•'  What  makes  you  think  I  'm  a  deserter?  " 
said  Noel  persistently. 

"I  don't*  think';  I  know.  We  have  absolute 
proof.    Your  name  is  Noel  Curtis,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes/'  replied  the  young  soldier  in  sur- 
prise. 

Instantly,  however,  he  concluded  that  Levi 
must  have  revealed  his  name  and  the  source 
of  the  officer's  knowledge,  therefore,  was  not 
unknown. 

"  We  cannot  stay  here  any  longer,"  con- 
tinued the  officer  emphatically.  "  Take  your 
place  in  the  ranks  with  your  friend.  Do  you 
know  who  he  is?" 

"  Indeed,  I  do  !  "  said  Noel,  somewhat  de- 
fiantly. "  He  and  I  both  belong  to  the  sharp- 
shooters of  the  — th.  You  ask  Colonel  Craw- 
ford about  us  and  he  '11  tell  you  all  you  want 
to  know.  '  Deserters ' !  Why,  man,  we  're  no 
more  deserters  than  you  are.  We  have  been 
trying  ever  since  we  left  Harper's  Ferry — " 

"  You  don't  seem  to  have  made  very  good 
time  even  if  you  did  try,"  sneered  the  officer 
again.  "  Your  story  sounds  fine,  but  when  the 
colonel  listens  to  what  you  have  to  say  and 
then  compares  your  stor  #il>  Hie  one  Levi 
has  to  tell,  he  may  ha  Jiing  to  say 

about  it  himself." 


230    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Apparently  it  was  useless  longer  to  try  to 
persuade  the  captain.  When  Noel  saw  the  ex- 
pression on  the  face  of  Dennis  and  was  aware 
that  the  young  Irishman  also  had  failed  to  plead 
his  cause  successfully,  he  was  somewhat  heavy- 
hearted. 

"I'll  go  with  you  ,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  That 's  mighty  good  of  you/'  laughed  the 
officer.  "  You  might  take  your  place  in  there 
with  the  other  deserter  and  we  '11  try  to  see  to 
it  that  you  don't  get  very  far  away  again. 
My  advice  to  you  is  not  to  try  any  more  of 
your  tricks." 

For  a  moment  Noel  looked  steadily  into  the 
eyes  of  the  sneering  young  officer.  He  was 
furiously  angry,  and  withal  was  more  seriously 
troubled  than  he  was  willing  to  acknowledge 
even  to  himself.  Because  the  men  under  whom 
he  had  served  were  not  now  in  the  vicinity 
it  would  be  difficult  for  him  to  find  any  one 
who  could  recognize  him.  His  father  had 
once  met  General  Hooker,  a  fact  which  Mr. 
Curtis  frequently  enlarged  upon  in  talks  with 
his  boys,  but  even  if  admittance  could  be  had 
into  the  presence  of  the  general,  which  was 
not  at  all  probable,  it  would  not  identify  the 
young  soldier  who  was  charged  with  deserting. 

Obediently  Noel  advanced  to  take  the  place 


THE   GUARD-HOUSE  231 

which  had  been  assigned  to  him,  and  as  he 
did  so  he  glanced  back  at  the  house,  and  saw 
Eliza  Jane  standing  in  the  doorway  and  watch- 
ing with  manifest  interest  the  activities  of  the 
soldiers  whom  she  professed  to  hate. 

Noel  was  quite  certain  that  he  had  a  mo- 
mentary glimpse  of  Levi  standing  behind  the 
woman,  but  of  this  he  could  not  be  positive, 
as  the  face  speedily  vanished  and  did  not 
again  appear.  At  all  events,  the  treacherous 
little  sutler  was  not  to  accompany  the  men  on 
their  way  back  to  camp  and,  fearful  alike  of 
his  absence  and  presence,  Noel  was  in  dire 
straits  when  at  last  the  command  to  advance 
was  given  and  by  the  side  of  Dennis  he  obe- 
diently fell  into  step  and  marched  with  the 
men. 

A  sound  like  distant  thunder  caused  Noel 
to  look  up  hastily.  He  had  heard  the  sound 
several  times,  but  as  the  sky  was  clear  and 
there  were  no  thunder  clouds  anywhere  to  be 
seen,  he  had  been  somewhat  puzzled  by  the 
rumbling  in  the  distance. 

"  I  guess  the  boys  are  up  and  at  it  ag'in," 
suggested  Dennis  in  one  of  his  hoarse  whispers. 

Startled  by  the  suggestion,  Noel  glanced 
sharply  at  his  companion  and  said,  "Fight- 
ing?" 


232     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"That's  what  it  sounds  like." 

"  Silence  in  the  ranks  !  "  ordered  the  captain 
sharply,  and  both  young  soldiers  became  silent 
as  the  little  band  marched  forward. 

The  threatening  sound  was  occasionally  re- 
peated, and  then  after  a  half-hour  or  more  had 
elapsed  it  died  away  and  was  not  heard  again. 
Ignorant  of  its  cause,  Noel's  fears  were  not 
relieved.  The  suggestion  of  Dennis  that  the 
sounds  came  from  cannon  was  undoubtedly 
correct,  and  in  that  event  an  engagement  not 
far  away  was  even  now  taking  place. 

Puzzled  as  well  as  alarmed,  it  was  not  diffi- 
cult for  the  young  soldier  to  decide  that  the 
two  armies  now  must  be  near  each  other.  He 
had  no  knowledge  of  the  region  through 
which  he  was  moving,  the  only  place  of  which 
he  had  heard  in  the  vicinity  being  Frederick 
City.  Just  where  this  was  situated,  and  what 
the  sympathies  of  its  inhabitants  were,  he  did 
not  know. 

Noel  was  aware  also  that  his  companion  was 
manifestly  in  very  low  spirits.  Never  before 
had  he  seen  Dennis  so  cast  down.  The  sight 
was  depressing,  and  in  spite  of  his  efforts  to 
convince  himself  that  his  fears  were  ground- 
less Noel's  confidence  was  rapidly  vanishing 
as  the  men  advanced. 


THE   GUARD-HOUSE  233 

How  far  away  the  main  body  was  lying 
was  another  matter  of  which  he  was  in  igno- 
rance. 

Refreshed  by  the  food  that  Eliza  Jane  had 
served  him  he  was  in  better  condition  to  en- 
dure a  long  march,  if  such  a  demand  should 
be  made  upon  him,  than  he  had  been  at  any 
time  since  he  had  escaped  the  attack  at  Har- 
per's Ferry.  It  was  the  unconcealed  depres- 
sion of  Dennis  that  influenced  him  now. 

When  he  had  first  been  charged  with  being 
a  deserter  he  had  looked  upon  the  matter  as  a 
joke.  He  was  fearful  by  this  time,  however, 
as  has  been  said,  that  with  his  friends  all  in 
another  division  of  the  army  or  prisoners  of 
the  Confederates,  it  might  be  impossible  for 
him  to  prove  his  identity,  at  least  for  a  time. 

That  he  was  then  a  regularly  enrolled  sharp- 
shooter, and  in  his  small  way  had  done  faith- 
ful service  in  the  Peninsula  campaign,  was 
true.  But  could  he  convince  the  captain  that 
his  record  was  clean  ? 

There  was  no  delay  in  the  march.  When  two 
hours  had  elapsed,  Noel  was  surprised  to  find 
that  they  were  approaching  a  camp.  This  camp, 
however,  was  so  manifestly  only  a  temporary 
affair  that  he  easily  conjectured  that  the  men 
practically  were  under  marching  orders.  Per- 


234    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

haps  they  had  come  a  considerable  distance 
that  very  day. 

Without  waiting  for  any  instructions  the 
young  captain  directed  that  Noel  and  Dennis 
should  be  sent  to  the  guard-tent,  into  which 
both  were  somewhat  roughly  thrust. 

To  Noel's  surprise  he  found  within  the  tent 
a  half-dozen  unfortunate  men,  and  in  a  brief 
time,  from  the  confessions  which  followed,  he 
was  aware  that  every  one  there  was  facing  a 
charge  of  desertion.  Indeed,  one  of  the  men  was 
describing  the  treatment  which  was  measured 
out  to  those  who  had  deserted  from  the  ranks. 

"  Most  generally,"  he  was  saying,  "  if  a  man 
deserts,  and  is  caught  again,  they  make  him 
serve  out  all  the  original  time  of  his  enlistment 
without  any  pay  or  allowance." 

"For  instance,"  suggested  another  man, 
"  if  a  soldier  has  enlisted  for  four  years  and 
deserts  at  the  end  of  six  months,  if  they  should 
catch  him  they  would  bring  him  back  and 
make  him  serve  three  years  and  six  months 
more  without  pay,  would  they?" 

"  That  's  it,"  said  the  first  prisoner.  "  Some- 
times they  send  the  deserters  off  to  Dry  Tor- 
tugas." 

"  They  might  as  well  banish  them  from 
evervwhere  as  to  send  them  there." 


THE  GUARD-HOUSE  235 

"  That 's  right." 

"Where  is  this  Dry  Tortugas  you're  talk- 
ing about  ?  "  inquired  another. 

"  It 's  a  group  of  islands  that  belong  to  the 
United  States  down  near  the  entrance  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  It 's  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  southwest  of  Cape  Sable." 

"  And  where  is  Cape  Sable  ?  " 

"  That 's  the  southern  part  of  Florida. 
Where  is  your  geography,  man  ?  These  islands 
of  the  Dry  Tortugas  are  very  low  and  swampy, 
and  they  are  covered  with  mangrove  bushes." 

"What  are  they?" 

"  Oh,  they  are  something  like  the  banana. 
Sometimes  the  deserters  there  are  made  to 
serve  a  term  of  years  with  ball  and  chain." 

"  What  do  you  think  is  going  to  happen  to 
us?" 

"  That 's  not  easy  to  tell.  There  have  been 
so  many  men  trying  to  get  away  that  I  'm 
afraid  that  it  will  go  hard  with  us." 

Noel  was  listening  intently  to  the  conversa- 
tion, but  its  effect  upon  him  was  not  so  marked 
as  it  was  upon  Dennis.  The  fear  in  the  heart 
of  the  young  Irisnman  was  great,  if  it  could 
be  estimated  by  the  expression  which  appeared 
upon  his  face. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A    FRUITLESS    INTERVIEW 

As  conversation  ceased  for  a  time  Noel  and 
Dennis  withdrew  to  a  part  of  the  tent  where 
they  were  by  themselves.  The  face  of  every 
man  in  the  tent  betrayed  his  feeling*  of  anxiety. 
Even  Noel,  the  youngest  of  the  soldiers,  was 
becoming  alarmed  at  the  outlook.  Far  re- 
moved from  his  own  regiment,  among  those 
who  were  strangers  to  him  and  who  knew  no- 
thing of  his  record  or  even  of  his  presence 
in  the  army,  the  young  soldier  desperately 
tried  to  think  of  some  one  to  whom  he  might 
appeal  for  aid. 

If  he  had  been  left  free  to  follow  his  own 
wishes  he  would  immediately  have  sought  the 
colonel  and  stated  his  case  to  that  officer.  As 
it  was,  however,  he  was  not  only  prevented 
from  seeing  the  leader,  but  also  was  in  a  posi- 
tion in  which  his  statements  would  not  be  ac- 
cepted without  further  proof.  His  anger  at 
the  little  sutler,  who  had  brought  the  trouble 
upon  him,  became  keener,  but  his  lp- 

lessness  tended  only  to  increase  hii 


A  FRUITLESS  INTERVIEW  237 

The  anxiety  of  the  young  prisoners  would 
have  been  much  greater  if  they  had  known  that 
at  this  very  time  Harper's  Ferry  was  about  to 
be  taken  and  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison  made 
prisoners.  The  two  great  divisions  of  the 
Southern  army,  as  we  know,  had  been  plan- 
ning to  cross  the  mountains  and  reunite  at 
Hagerstown  or  Boonesborough. 

GeneralJackson,  energetic  and  prompt,  suc- 
cessfully carried  out  the  task  which  had  been 
assigned  to  him.  Indeed,  he  was  as  prompt  in 
his  actions  as  was  his  great  commander.  On 
the  first  day  of  his  advance  he  marched  four- 
teen miles  and  that  same  night  decided  to 
cross  the  Potomac  River.  The  following  day 
he  was  only  four  miles  west  of  Martinsburgh, 
and  in  the  morning  when  he  moved  upon  the 
little  place,  to  his  surprise  he  found  that  the 
garrison  already  had  abandoned  the  post. 

The  general  quickly  resumed  his  march  and 
on  the  following  day,  after  his  troops  had 
covered  more  than  sixty  miles  in  the  four 
days,  he  came  within  sight  of  the  Federal 
forces. 

There  was  a  slight  delay  now,  but  on  the 
13th  of  >er  General  McLaws  reached 

the  hill*  as  Maryland  Heights  and  at 

the  sam  eneral  Walker,  who  was  meet- 


238    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

ing  with  no  resistance  at  all,  occupied  Loudon 
Heights  above  Harper's  Ferry. 

All  that  night  General  Jackson  was  awake, 
receiving  frequent  reports  from  both  of  his 
subordinates,  and  before  the  morning  came 
he  had  made  all  his  plans  for  a  combined  at- 
tack upon  Harper's  Ferry  by  all  the  divisions 
under  his  command. 

Right  at  the  angle  formed  by  the  junction 
of  the  Potomac  and  the  Shenandoah  Rivers 
lies  Harper's  Ferry.  To  the  south  were  heights 
which  were  strongly  held  by  the  Union  troops. 
It  was  in  the  afternoon  of  September  14,  when 
at  the  command  of  General  Jackson  the  Con- 
federate batteries  began  to  pour  a  heavy  artil- 
lery fire  upon  the  Union  troops  on  the  heights, 
and  when  night  fell  he  had  worked  his  army 
into  such  a  position  that  it  really  commanded 
both  flanks  of  the  Bolivar  Heights  where  these 
Union  soldiers  were  stationed. 

The  following  morning  there  was  a  brief 
interval  of  quiet  and  then  General  Jackson 
prepared  to  assault  the  heights.  But  before 
the  attempt  was  made  the  Union  garrison 
capitulated. 

Not  only  were  more  than  twelve  thousand 
prisoners  secured  (for  the  garrisons  which  had 
been  stationed  at  Winchester  and  at  Martins- 


A  FRUITLESS  INTERVIEW  239 

burg  had  retired  previously  to  Harper's  Ferry), 
but  there  also  were  seventy-three  great  guns 
and  something  like  thirteen  thousand  small 
arms  that  became  the  prizes  of  the  victors. 

"  Whist !  "  whispered  Dennis,  speaking  for 
the  first  time  since  the  boys  had  been  con- 
signed to  the  guard-tent.  "  'T  is  a  black  day 
for  us,  I  'm  thinkin'.  'T  is  a  f oine  way,  too,  to 
treat  the  boys  that  niver  thought  of  desartin'." 

"  We  '11  get  out  of  this  all  right,"  said  Noel, 
speaking  with  a  confidence  he  was  far  from 
feeling.  "  They  '11  have  to  find  out  first 
whether  or  not  we  're  really  deserters  before 
they  punish  us." 

"  If  I  had  that  little  spalpeen,  Levi,  here, 
I  'd  get  some  satisfaction,  anyway  !  What  for 
do  you  suppose  he  told  the  captain  that  we 
were  desarters  ?  " 

"  There 's  fifty  dollars  reward  offered  to 
any  one  who  will  help  in  the  return  of  a  de- 
serter ;  at  least,  that 's  what  I  have  been  told," 
said  Noel. 

"  That  explains  it,  thin,"  said  Dennis  con- 
fidently. "  That  explains  it  all.  For  fifty  dol- 
lars that  Levi  would  sell  his  mother  and  his 
whole  family." 

"Fifty  dollars  is  a  good  deal  of  money, 
Dennis." 


240     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

"  So  it  is.  So  it  is,"  acknowledged  the 
young  Irish  soldier,  "  but  it 's  a  lot  more  than 
Levi  is  worth." 

"  How  much  more  ?  " 

"  Just  fifty  dollars,  to  a  cint." 

The  attempt  to  speak  lightly  of  their 
troubles,  however,  was  almost  pathetic.  Both 
boys  were  exceedingly  anxious  and  their  feel- 
ings were  not  relieved  by  the  manifestly  in- 
creasing fears  of  their  companions. 

It  was  now  early  in  the  afternoon  and  the 
guard  as  yet  had  not  come  with  their  food. 
Noel  had  decided  that  he  would  await  the 
coming  of  this  man  and  beg  him  to  obtain 
permission  for  him  to  see  the  colonel.  The 
boy  felt  that,  if  only  he  could  be  admitted  to 
the  presence  of  that  officer,  he  would  be  able 
to  state  some  things  which  would  lead  to  the 
prompt  release  both  of  himself  and  his  com- 
panion. 

There  was  a  long  interval,  however,  before 
a  soldier  came  to  bring  their  dinner,  if  hard- 
tack and  water  could  be  dignified  by  such  a 
term.  Neither  Dennis  nor  Noel  ate  of  the 
food  thus  provided.  Not  only  were  their  ap- 
petites gone,  but  their  anger  had  increased  as 
they  thought  of  the  way  in  which  they  were 
being  treated  after  their  difficult  and  perilous 


A  FRUITLESS   INTERVIEW  241 

ices  all  through  the  campaign  on  the  Pen- 
tla. 

lie   feeling  of  Dennis  frequently  found 

e  in  his  expressions  of  anger  and  disgust. 

1,  however,  was  more  controlled  in  his 

ner  and  seldom  spoke  except  in  reply  to 

questions  of  his  comrade. 

oel  eagerly  had  begged  the  soldier  who 

brought  their  dinner  to  report  to  the 

nel  that  one  of  the  men  was  innocent  and 

it  earnestly  begged  permission  to  explain 

to  him  how  he  had  been  falsely  accused. 

e  was  by  no  means  confident  that  the 

ier  would  bear  his  request  to  the  colonel 

still  less  was  he  hopeful  that  the  colonel 

Id  grant  him  an  interview. 

e  was,  therefore,  the  more  surprised  when 

an  hour  later  an  orderly  came  to  the  tent  and 

said,  "Who  is  the  man  that  asked  to  see  the 

colonel?" 

Instantly  three  of  the  inmates  replied  that 
they  had  made  this  request.  To  the  surprise 
and  consternation  of  Noel  Curtis  the  orderly 
simply  said,  "  There  will  be  time  for  only  one 
and  he  will  have  to  be  quick.  I  don't  see  why 
the  colonel  waits,  anyway.  The  only  place  for 
a  deserter  is  at  the  end  of  a  rope  that 's  tied 
so  that  his  feet  will  be  about  three  feet  above 


242    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  ground.  That 's  the  way  one  of  the  deser- 
ters was  served  this  morning." 

"  What !  "  demanded  Noel,  his  face  turning 
pale  in  spite  of  his  effort  to  be  calm.  "  Do  you 
really  mean  to  say  that  a  deserter  was  hanged 
to-day  ?" 

"  That 's  exactly  what  I  mean  to  say/'  said 
the  soldier  lightly.  "  So  many  men  have  tried 
to  break  loose  lately  that  it  has  been  decided 
to  use  stricter  measures.  Perhaps  they  will  be 
better  to  you,  though,  and  instead  of  hanging 
you,  they  will  just  let  you  be  shot.  That's  a 
better  way.  Leastwise,  that's  what  I  would 
want  if  I  had  to  take  my  choice." 

"  I  'm  the  one,"  said  Noel  hastily,  "  who 
sent  word  to  the  colonel  asking  for  permission 
to  see  him." 

"  He  is  n  't  the  man  !  "  shouted  the  other 
three  in  unison;  and  each  added,  "I'm  the 
man!" 

"How will  I  ever  know?"  said  the  orderly 
as  he  gazed  in  confusion  first  at  one  prisoner 
and  then  at  another. 

"  I  '11  tell  you,"  suggested  Noel.  "  Ask  each 
man  to  tell  how  he  sent  his  message,  and  the 
one  that  gives  it  right  is  to  be  the  one  who 
shall  have  a  chance." 

"  Good  !  "  said  the  orderly.  "  How  did  you 


A  FRUITLESS  INTERVIEW  243 

send  word  ?  "  he  asked,  turning  to  Noel  as  he 
spoke. 

"Ask  these  other  men  first,"  suggested 
Noel.  "  I  was  the  last  one  to  put  in  a  claim 
that  I  had  sent  word,  so  let  me  be  the  last  one 
to  explain  how  I  sent  it." 

"  All  right.  Now,  go  ahead,  you  tell  how 
you  sent  your  word,"  the  orderly  demanded  as 
he  looked  keenly  at  the  oldest  of  the  trio. 

"I  don't  just  remember,"  stammered  the 
soldier.  "  It  seems  to  me  I  sent  a  letter." 

"  That 's  what  I  did,  too,"  said  the  second. 
"  I  wrote  a  note  and  sent  it  by  one  of  the 
boys." 

"  And  how  did  you  get  word  to  him  ?  "  the 
orderly  inquired  as  he  turned  to  the  third  man. 

"  I  give  it  up.  I  '11  own  up,  too,  that  I  did  n't 
send  any  word  at  all,  though  I  wanted  to. 
Perhaps  I  took  the  wish  for  the  deed." 

"Now  explain  how  you  sent  your  message," 
said  the  soldier  as  he  again  turned  to  Noel. 

"  I  sent  it  by  the  man  who  brought  us  our 
dinner  to-day." 

"  That 's  right.  You  're  the  boy.  You  come 
with  me." 

Without  any  delay  Noel  was  conducted  by 
the  orderly  to  the  tent  of  the  colonel,  and 
soon  was  admitted. 


244    THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT   ANTIETAM 

He  remained  standing  near  the  table  upon 
which  the  officer  was  writing.  The  colonel 
did  not  even  glance  at  his  visitor  for  a  time 
as  he  continued  his  task.  At  last,  however,  he 
looked  up  and  said  abruptly,  "  Well,  what 
is  it?" 

"  I  have  come  to  tell  you,"  said  Noel,  some- 
what embarassed  in  spite  of  his  determination 
to  be  self-controlled,  "that  I  have  been  accused 
of  beino*  a  deserter." 

"  Oh,  you  're  the  man  who  sent  word  by 
Dan  Tague." 

H  I  don't  know  the  man  's  name,"  said  Noel 
respectfully. 

"  Well,  he  brought  your  message.  And  you 
say  you  are  not  a  deserter?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  But  you  cannot  prove  it  ?  " 

"  I  can  and  I  will  if  you  '11  give  me  a  little 
time." 

"But  I  have  positive  information  here,"  said 
the  colonel,  taking  a  paper  from  his  pocket, 
"  that  you  are  a  deserter.  It  states  that  you 
and  another  man  named  Dennis  O'Hara  both 
deserted  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  were  discov- 
ered not  far  from  here  this  morning  by  Captain 
Blowers." 

"I  don't  know  the  captain's  name,  Col- 


A   FRUITLESS   INTERVIEW  245 

onel,"  said  Noel.  "  I  did  not  desert  at  Har- 
per's Ferry.  I  was  outside  the  lines  — " 

"  What  were  you  doing  outside  the  lines?" 
interrupted  the  colonel. 

"  I  was  foraging." 

"  Was  any  one  with  you?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  Dennis  O'Hara." 

"  Ah,  ha !  Then  the  story  is  true  that  you 
both  were  outside  the  lines?" 

"  Yes,  sir!  that's  true,  although  it  isn't 
true  that  we  deserted." 

"  To  what  regiment  do  you  belong  ?  " 

"To  the— th." 

"To  which  company?" 

Noel  gave  the  number  of  his  company. 

"  Who  was  your  colonel  ?  " 

"  Colonel  Crawford." 

"That's  correct,"  said  the  officer.  "All 
these  things  tally.  I  have  a  statement  here 
that  you  and  —  your  name  is  Noel  Curtis,  is 
it  not?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Well,  I  have  a  statement  here  that  Noel 
Curtis  and  Dennis  O'Hara,  both  belonging  to 

Company of  the  — th  regiment  deserted 

just  before  the  attack  on  Harper's  Ferry." 

"Colonel,  may  I  ask  you  who  made  that 
statement?" 


246     THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT  ANTIETAM 

"  The  sutler  is  the  one  who  informed  us." 

"  Did  any  one  else  tell  you?  " 

"I  think  so.  I  haven't  all  the  papers  here 
and  I  have  no  time  to  go  into  details  ahout 
this.  Have  you  served  long?" 

"  We  enlisted  last  spring,  my  brother  and 
I.  We  were  both  in  the  Peninsula  campaign. 
My  brother  was  sick  and  went  home  on  a 
furlough." 

u  Where  is  your  home?" 

"  In  New  York  State,  on  the  border  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  River.  My  brother  and  I  were 
both  sharpshooters." 

The  colonel  smiled  incredulously  as  he 
looked  at  the  young  soldier,  but  all  he  said  in 
reply  was,  "I  have  nothing  but  your  unsup- 
ported wrord  for  this,  while  I  have  the  testi- 
mony of  others  against  you.  The  fact  that  you 
were  outside  the  lines  at  Harper's  Ferry  is 
against  you,  and  it 's  just  about  as  black  when 
Captain  Blowers  reports  that  he  was  informed 
by  reliable  witnesses  that  you  are  a  deserter 
and  were  seen  several  times  skulking  about 
the  region.  We  are  compelled  to  make  ex- 
amples of  these  men  right  now,  or  we  shan't 
have  anybody  left  to  stand  against  Lee. 
You  '11  have  to  find  better  reasons  for  convin- 
cing me  than  you  have  given  this  afternoon." 


A   FRUITLESS   INTERVIEW  247 

u  Will  you  make  some  investigations,  Col- 
onel?" 

"  No,  not  now.  There  is  no  time.  Do  you 
hear  those  guns?  "  he  demanded  as  the  roar 
of  distant  cannon  was  heard.  "  We  may  be 
ordered  to  advance  at  any  time.  Meanwhile  I 
must  give  my  men  a  good  lesson,  and  I  can- 
not do  it  in  a  better  way  than  by  making  an 
example  of  such  men  as  you." 

"Don't  you  believe  what  I  have  told 
you?" 

"I  don't,"  said  the  colonel  tartly.  "Your 
story  is  just  about  as  plausible  as  the  one 
young  Naylor  told  me  before  I  had  him 
hanged." 

Noel's  face  became  pale  as  he  heard  the 
statement  lightly  repeated  by  the  colonel  that 
some  one  had  been  hanged  that  very  day  for 
desertion.  He  was  aware,  however,  from  the 
attitude  of  the  officer  and  the  abrupt  manner 
in  which  he  turned  aq;ain  to  his  writing:  that 
there  was  little  use  in  trying  further  to  plead 
his  cause.  Turning  about,  Noel,  still  under  the 
guard  of  the  orderly,  left  the  tent  and  was 
conducted  back  to  the  place  where  he  had 
been  confined  with  his  companions. 


XXV 

THE  EXECUTION 

Depressed  as  Noel  was  by  his  recent  inter- 
view with  the  colonel,  he  nevertheless  was 
surprised  when  he  approached  the  tent  to  find 
that  the  guards  had  been  changed.  The  young 
soldier  was  not  yet  aware  that  when  deserters 
were  put  under  guard  certain  selected  men 
were  stationed  with  loaded  muskets  about  the 
tent  of  those  who  bad  been  condemned.  Every 
two  hours  the  guard  was  relieved. 

Nor  was  any  soldier  ever  compelled  to  stand 
guard  over  a  deserter  from  bis  own  company 
or  regiment.  Naturally  it  was  very  difficult  for 
one  comrade  to  be  compelled  to  enforce  so 
severe  a  rule  as  that  which  was  applied  to  men 
who  deserted,  when  the  guilty  comrade,  per- 
haps, was  a  schoolmate,  a  relative,  or  even  a 
brother.  Besides,  there  was  the  continual  fear 
of  the  officers  that  if  such  men  were  placed  in 
charge  there  would  naturally  be  the  danger  of 
a  plot  or  a  plan  for  the  escape  of  those  who 
were  condemned.  It  was  for  this  reason  that 
Noel  and  Dennis,  in  any  event,  would  have 
been  assigned  to  a  guard-tent  in  some  com- 


THE  EXECUTION  249 

pany  in  which  they  were  not  likely  to  have 
any  acquaintances,  or  even  any  friends  among 
its  members. 

As  soon  as  Noel  entered  the  tent,  Dennis  was 
aware  from  the  expression  of  his  face  that  his 
mission  had  not  been  successful. 

"  What  is  it,  lad  ?"  he  whispered  as  he  drew 
the  young  soldier  to  one  side. 

Noel  shook  his  head  as  he  replied,  "  The 
colonel  would  n't  believe  a  word." 

"  The  colonel  is  as  bad  as  that  little  spal- 
peen, the  sutler  !  " 

"I  wouldn't  mind  it  so  much,"  said  Noel, 
u  if  they  would  first  really  find  out  what  the 
truth  of  the  charge  is,  but  it  seems  that  they 
have  taken  the  word  of  Levi,  and  now  any- 
thing we  can  say  does  n't  seem  to  count  for 
much  against  it." 

"  But  they  '11  give  us  a  trial.  They  '11  hold 
a  court-martial  before  anything  is  done,"  pro- 
tested Dennis. 

"  I  hope  so,"  said  Noel.  "  I  don't  know  how 
it  will  be  held,  or  how  fair  a  show  we  '11  have. 
It 's  the  only  square  way,  though,  and  if  it 's 
possible  I  am  going  to  try  to  make  an  appeal. 
I  have  thought  of  sending  for  the  chaplain. 
I  think  he  might  be  able  to  do  something  for 
us  if  any  man  in  the  regiment  can." 


250    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Who  is  the  chaplain  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  who  he  is,  but  we  '11  be  able 
to  find  that  out  later." 

A  low  conversation  which  followed  between 
the  inmates  of  the  tent  revealed  the  fact  that 
several  of  the  men  already  had  been  tried  and 
condemned  by  court-martial  for  desertion. 
Every  one  was  bitter  against  those  who  had 
passed  sentence  upon  him.  Noel  was  surprised 
to  find  that  the  men  were  all  claiming,  what 
he  himself  had  asserted  as  the  cause  for  the 
mistake  in  his  arrest,  that  some  one  had  brought 
a  false  charge  against  them. 

Not  unnaturally  both  the  young  soldiers 
were  depressed  when  darkness  came  on,  and 
Noel  was  unable  to  sleep.  Mortified  by  the 
charge  as  well  as  anxious,  he  lay  with  wide- 
open  eyes  staring  in  the  dim  light  at  the  top 
of  his  tent  and  wondering  what  the  follow- 
ing day  would  bring  forth.  The  sound  of 
guns  in  the  distance,  the  restlessness  that  was 
manifested  among  the  soldiers,  the  evident 
interest  with  which  the  colonel  was  reading 
some  dispatches  that  he  had  received,  as  well 
as  the  severity  with  which  the  so-called  de- 
serters were  being  treated,  all  combined  to 
make  the  young  soldier  confident  that  stir- 
ring action  was  speedily  expected. 


THE  EXECUTION  251 

The  following  morning  dawned  wonderfully 
clear.  When  Dennis  awoke  the  sun  was  shin- 
ing brightly  and  the  morning  air  was  soft 
and  still. 

When  the  boys  first  arose  they  were  startled 
at  the  presence  of  two  ambulances  in  front  of 
their  tent.  In  each  of  these  ambulances  there 
was  a  rough  coffin  of  wood.  That  these  grue- 
some objects  should  have  been  brought  to  the 
place  where  the  prisoners  under  the  charge  of 
desertion  were  confined  at  first  had  not  been 
suggestive  to  Noel.  He  was  soon  aware,  how- 
ever, what  the  explanation  was,  and  his  face 
became  pallid  when  he  heard  two  of  his  com- 
panions ordered  to  advance  and  each  man  to 
take  his  seat  on  a  coffin.  A  detail  of  soldiers 
had  been  assigned  to  draw  these  two  ambu- 
lances and  in  solemn  silence  were  awaiting  the 
coming  of  the  condemned  men. 

Noel  Curtis  shuddered  when  one  of  the 
prisoners,  stepping  lightly  into  the  ambu- 
lance, seated  himself  upon  the  long  box,  and, 
rapping  upon  the  wood,  turned  to  some  of  the 
watching  soldiers  and  flippantly  said,  "  Boys, 
can't  you  put  some  shavings  or  something  a 
little  softer  in  my  box  ?  It  looks  as  if  it  might 
be  a  pretty  hard  nest  to  rest  in." 

Instead  of  laughter  or  applause  greeting 


252  THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

his  coarse  remarks,  the  silence  and  disgust  of 
the  assembled  soldiers  seemed  to~  react  with 
solemn  force  upon  the  condemned  man.  At 
last  the  word  was  given  and  the  cavalcade 
departed,  leaving  the  remaining  prisoners  in 
the  guard-tent  dumb  with  the  horror  of  the 
event. 

Difficult  as  Noel  Curtis  had  found  it,  in  his 
previous  experiences  in  the  campaign  on  the 
Peninsula,  to  control  his  feelings  when  he 
found  that  he  was  actually  shooting  at  a  hu- 
man being,  that  experience  was  by  no  means 
equal  to  the  suffering  which  he  now  was  un- 
dergoing. 

There  might  be  some  justification  for  men 
making  targets  of  one  another  when  some 
great  issue  had  been  raised,  but  the  young 
sharpshooter  was  now  fully  aware  that  war 
was  no  holiday  game.  His  heart  rebelled 
against  many  of  the  things  which  he  saw, 
and  yet  the  supreme  issue  of  it  all  and  the 
fact  that  war  had  been  declared  and  accepted, 
and  that  there  was  no  relief  or  release  until 
one  side  or  the  other  in  the  great  conflict  had 
won  its  victory,  could  not  be  ignored. 

His  thoughts  now  were  centered  upon  the 
men  who  had  been  taken  away  from  the  tent 
for  their  execution.  The  presence  of  the  de- 


THE  EXECUTION  253 

tail  implied  that  both  men  were  to  be  shot,  a 
method  of  execution  not  quite  so  revolting  as 
that  by  hanging. 

Some  of  the  men  under  sentence  in  the 
guard-tent  seemed  to  be  dumb  with  fear,  while 
others  more  stolidly  expressed  their  complaints 
over  the  outcome  of  the  court-martial  which 
had  been  held  for  the  two  condemned  men 
the  preceding  day. 

Several  times  when  shots  were  heard  near 
the  place  where  the  division  was  in  camp,  N03I 
fancied  that  the  report  was  that  of  the  guns 
of  the  men  who  had  been  detailed  to  shoot 
the  two  deserters. 

In  his  interview  with  the  colonel  the  young 
soldier  had  been  informed  that  desertion  was 
becoming  so  frequent  in  the  army  at  this  time 
that  orders  for  the  sternest  measures  to  break 
it  up  had  been  issued.  No  man  now  might 
expect  any  mercy  who  should  flee  from  his 
post  of  duty. 

Sometimes  homesickness  had  been  the  cause 
of  the  men  leaving  their  comrades.  The 
thoughts  or  recollections  of  family  and  friends 
in  the  far-away  North  had  produced  a  long- 
ing in  the  midst  of  the  monotony  of  the  camp 
work  and  of  the  army  life  that  had  been  too 
strong  for  some  to  resist.    Others,  however, 


254    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

had  become  tired  of  the  service  when  the 
novelty  of  the  first  days  was  gone  and  had 
fled  simply  to  evade  the  difficulties  and  drudg- 
ery which  are  a  part  of  the  campaign  of  any 
army.  Whatever  the  cause  may  have  been, 
the  fact  could  not  be  denied,  and  Noel  Curtis 
understood  fully  the  reasons  for  the  sterner 
measures  which  now  were  being  used.  Per- 
haps they  might  be  justified,  he  thought,  al- 
though the  unspeakable  horror  which  had  ap- 
peared in  the  expression  on  the  faces  of  the 
two  condemned  men,  when  at  last  they  were 
taken  from  the  tent,  wras  something  which  he 
was  positive  he  never  would  be  able  to  forget. 

Somehow  the  morning  passed.  The  guards 
were  changed  more  frequently,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent to  the  waiting  men  that  they  had  not 
been  forgotten  in  the  midst  of  the  excitement 
of  the  army  in  the  knowledge  that  the  enemy 
was  not  far  distant. 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  send  for  the 
chaplain  ? "  suggested  Dennis  to  Noel  when 
an  hour  or  more  had  elapsed. 

"  So  I  am/'  said  Noel  promptly.  "  I  had  not 
forgotten  it.  It  does  n't  seem  to  me,  though, 
that  any  man  will  be  able  to  help  us  much, 
when  the  colonel  is  not  willing  even  to  hear 
what  we  have  to  say  for  ourselves.    It  seems 


THE  EXECUTION  255 

to  me  that  they  ought  to  give  us  credit  first 
of  all  for  being  honest.  But  his  plan  appar- 
ently is  to  believe  a  man  guilty  and  then  let 
him  prove  his  innocence,  if  he  is  able." 

"  Niver  you  fear,  lad.  The  chaplain  will  be 
able  to  help  us  out." 

"  We  '11  ask  to  see  him,  anyway,"  said  Noel. 

Accordingly,  when  the  guard  next  was 
called,  Noel  succeeded  in  attracting  the  atten- 
tion of  the  sergeant  and  made  known  his  de- 
sire to  receive  a  visit  from  the  chaplain.  Such 
a  visit,  he  was  aware,  was  permitted,  and  he 
was  not  without  hope  that  the  coming  of  this 
man  might  be  of  assistance  to  him  and  his 
hardly  beset  comrade. 

Nearly  an  hour  elapsed  before  the  chaplain 
appeared.  He  was  a  young  man,  and  in  his 
face  there  appeared  an  expression  of  friend- 
liness. Noel  was  drawn  to  him  at  once,  even 
before  he  heard  the  somewhat  abrupt  and  loud 
tones  of  his  voice. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you  ? "  asked  the 
chaplain,  not  unkindly,  as  he  entered  the  tent 
and  was  informed  that  Noel  was  the  inmate 
who  had  requested  the  visit. 

u  I  wanted  to  see  you  and  tell  you  my 
story,"  said  Noel  quietly.  "  I  am  here  under 
a  false  charge." 


256    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

The  interest  of  the  chaplain  instantly  be- 
came less  keen,  as  Noel  discovered  to  his 
dismay. 

"  That 's  what  every  man  says,"  responded 
the  chaplain  quietly. 

"  Well,  it 's  true  in  my  case.  Did  those  poor 
fellows  who  were  taken  out  this  morning  say 
they  were  not  to  blame?" 

"  They  surely  did,"  said  the  chaplain.  "I 
wish  I  was  able  now  to  forget  the  horror  of 
that  scene.  A  hollow  square  was  formed  and 
the  two  coffins  were  placed  in  the  open  part. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  moment  when  the 
adjutant-general  stepped  out  into  a  position 
a  little  in  front  of  the  center  of  the  square. 
He  's  a  strong  man  and  not  much  given  to 
sentiment,  but  his  voice  trembled,  although 
it  was  clear  and  strong,  when  in  the  presence 
of  all  the  soldiers  he  read  the  finding  of  the 
court-martial." 

•'  It  must  have  been  hard  for  the  men  who  had 
been  detailed,"  suggested  Noel  in  a  low  voice. 

"  It  was.  You  understand,  however,  that  the 
guns  used  by  the  provost  guard  on  occasions 
like  that  are  always  loaded  by  men  who  have 
been  appointed  for  that  special  purpose.  It 
never  would  do  in  the  world  to  let  the  soldiers 
load  their  own  guns." 


THE  EXECUTION  2~7 

"Why  not?" 

"Why,  it's  more  than  likely  that  they 
would  use  blank  cartridges.  No  one  wants  to 
be  responsible  for  the  death  of  a  man  even  if 
he  is  under  sentence.  That 's  the  reason  why 
the  guns  never  are  loaded  by  those  who  are 
to  do  the  shooting.  However,  they  all  know 
that  a  blank  cartridge  has  been  placed  in  one 
of  the  guns,  but  they  are  never  told  which 
one  it  is.  This  plan  makes  every  man  believe 
that  his  gun  contained  the  blank  cartridge 
and  that  it  was  not  his  shot  which  killed  the 
prisoner.  While  the  adjutant-general  was  read- 
ing the  finding  of  the  court-martial  the  two 
men  had  to  stand  up.  As  soon  as  the  officer 
had  finished  reading,  both  men  were  ordered 
to  kneel  on  their  coffins  and  a  paper  heart 
was  pinned  on  the  coat  of  each." 

"  What  is  a  i  paper  heart?  '  "  asked  Noel. 

"  Why,  it 's  just  a  quarter  of  a  sheet  of 
ordinary  notepaper.  It's  white,  you  know, 
and  provides  a  mark  for  the  men  who  are  usu- 
ally selected  because  they  are  good  shots.  One 
of  these  poor  fellows,  after  he  had  been  blind- 
folded, shouted,  '  Boys,  shoot  me  here,'  as  he 
put  his  hand  upon  his  heart.  '  Don't  make 
any  mistake,  either ! '  I  don't  know  whether 
the  rest  of  the  men  heard  the  final  order  of 


258     THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

the  provost  guard  or  not.  His  voice  sounded 
to  me  as  if  it  might  have  been  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away,  it  was  so  indistinct,  but  somehow 
he  managed  to  call  out  — '  Ready  ! '  '  Aim  ! ' 
< Fire !'" 

"  Did  they  find  the  paper  hearts  ? "  in- 
quired Noel,  almost  in  a  whisper. 

"  Yes,  both  the  poor  fellows  fell  forward 
on  their  faces  and  never  breathed  again." 

Dennis  O'Hara,  wrho  had  been  listening  to 
the  words  of  the  chaplain,  although  he  had 
not  taken  part  in  any  of  the  conversation, 
could  restrain  his  fears  no  longer. 

"  But,  yer  Reverence,"  he  said,  "why  should 
they  treat  an  innocent  man  like  that  ?  I  'm 
tellin'  ye  that  we're  the  most  loyal  boys  in  Little 
Mac's  army.  We  're  both  sharpshooters  and 
we  both  did  our  part  down  on  the  Peninsula. 
Now  to  be  set  up  here  and  shot  down  like  a 
couple  of  dogs!  Why,  instead  of  desartin', 
we  just  were  doin'  our  best  to  escape  from  the 
Johnnies.  'T  is  pretty  hard  !  The  colonel  won't 
listen  to  a  word  !  We  can  prove  it  to  him,  every- 
thing we  say." 

"  Is  that  so  ?  "  inquired  the  chaplain,  turn- 
ing to  Noel  for  confirmation. 

"  It  is,  sir,"  replied  Noel. 

"  I  don't  know  that  anything  can  be  done," 


THE   EXECUTION  259 

said  the  chaplain.  "It  would  be  horrible  to 
make  such  a  mistake  as  that.  You  are  entitled 
to  a  trial,  anyway.  Where  is  the  man  who 
made  the  charges  against  you?" 

"  I  don't  know/'  said  Noel,  "  but  I  don't 
think  he  's  here.  My  belief  is  that  he  is  a  spy, 
anyway,  and  part  of  the  time  is  in  the  other 
army." 

"  Let  me  take  the  number  of  your  com- 
pany and  regiment  and  I  shall  very  gladly 
see  what  can  be  done.  I  don't  want  you  to 
build  your  hopes  too  high,  but  you  may  rest 
assured  that  I  shall  do  for  you  all  that  is  in 
my  power." 

As  soon  as  their  visitor  had  jotted  down  in 
his  notebook  the  few  facts  and  figures  which 
he  asked  for,  he  at  once  left  the  tent. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE    TEST 

The  sufferings  of  Noel  and  Dennis  were  in- 
creased by  the  feeling  of  suspense  which 
followed  the  departure  of  the  chaplain.  Rumor 
had  been  busy  in  the  camp  and  had  reached 
even  the  men  in  the  guard-house  concerning 
the  execution  of  the  deserters  and  the  penalty 
which  now  might  be  visited  upon  the  men  who 
were  still  under  guard. 

The  feeling  in  the  heart  of  Dennis  was  more 
one  of  anger  than  of  alarm.  With  Noel,  how- 
ever, uncertainty  and  fear  combined  to  make 
the  young  soldier  much  cast  down.  When 
Dennis  occasionally  tried  to  arouse  his  spirits, 
the  effort  of  the  young  Irishman  was  so  mani- 
fest that  the  effect  sometimes  was  the  exact 
reverse  of  what  he  had  intended. 

More  and  more  Noel  became  alarmed  as  the 
hours  passed.  When  the  chaplain  returned,  as 
he  did  a  few  hours  later,  not  even  his  cheery 
words  could  disguise  the  fact  that  as  yet  he 
had  not  received  any  information  concerning 
the    two  young   sharpshooters  which  would 


THE   TEST  261 

justify  the  colonel  in  making  an  exception  of 
their  cases. 

When  Noel  awoke  early  the  following  morn- 
ing he  was  surprised  to  find  Dennis  already 
busily  engaged  in  writing  a  letter.  And  such 
a  letter ! 

When  Noel  drew  near,  he  saw  that  Dennis 
had  taken  sheets  of  foolscap,  cutting  them 
lengthwise  and  had  pasted  the  half-sheets  to- 
gether so  that  he  had  a  continuous  roll  that 
must  have  been  at  least  thirty  feet  in  length. 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  "  demanded  Noel 
in  surprise. 

"  Shure,  lad,  and  I  'm  writin'  a  letter." 

"  But  to  whom  are  you  writing  such  a  letter 
as  that  ?  Do  you  write  on  both  sides  of  the 
paper  ?  It  would  take  more  money  than  you 
have  saved  in  a  month  to  pay  the  postage. 
What  are  you  trying  to  do,  anyway,  Den- 
nis  r 

"  Shure,  lad,"  said  Dennis  quietly,  "  I  had  a 
letter  from  me  sister  in  which  she  says  as  how 
I  have  niglicted  the  family  and  niver  write  a 
word,  so  I'm  goin'  to  sind  her  one  letter  that 
she  can't  say  is  too  short.  I  'm  gettin'  near 
the  end  of  it,  though.  If  you  '11  wait  a  minute, 
lad,  I  '11  read  to  you  the  last  sintence." 

Before  Noel  could  protest  Dennis  began 


262    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

glibly,  "And  now,  me  dear  Bridget,  I  can  tell 
you  that  I  am  very  happy  because  the  assur- 
ance is  dawning  upon  me  mind  that  I  am  get- 
tin'  near  the  end  of  my  paper.  I  have  only  to 
say  that  after  I  have  been  through  the  regular 
number  of  pitched-battles  and  hair-breadth  es- 
capes and  have  walked  a  few  hundred  miles 
and  chased  the  Johnnies  up  and  down  the 
hills,  perhaps  by  that  time  I  shall  have  come 
really  to  the  ind  of  this  letter  and  be  able  to 
sign  me  name.  If  you  still  think  that  I'm  not 
writin'  long  enough  letters  to  you  and  to 
mother  and  the  girls,  I  '11  come  home  just  as 
soon  as  our  business  at  the  front  is  finished,  and 
from  the  appearances  at  the  prisent  time  some- 
thin'  is  going  to  happen  before  I  shall  have  a 
chance  to  sign  my  name." 

Dennis  looked  up  from  his  paper  and  said, 
"  There,  lad,  I  'm  not  explainin'  to  thim  what 
it  is  that  may  happen.  It  '11  be  time  enough  for 
thim  to  find  out  that  when  thev  have  to.  But 
what  do  you  think  of  me  epistle,  anyway?" 

"  Very  good." 

"What  there  is  of  it,"  replied  Dennis,  smil- 
ing in  spite  of  the  fears  which  held  him. 

"  It 's  a  sort  of  last  will  I  'm  writin',  too," 
added  Dennis.  "  I  niver  have  written  a  will 
whin  I  was  goin'  into  battle  the  way  some  o' 


THE  TEST  263 

th'  boys  do,  but  whin  I  have  to  face  the  sin- 
tence  of  bem*  shot  as  a  desarter,  which  I  niver 
was,  and  if  the  Saints  will  presarve  me,  I  niver 
shall  be—" 

"  I  heard  of  a  woman  back  here,"  broke  in 
Noel,  "  who  made  a  will  and  left  her  shoe- 
strings to  her  sister." 

"  Bedad,"  said  Dennis,  "  I  niver  thought  o' 
that.  'T  is  a  good  suggestion !  I  'm  goin'  to 
leave  mine  to  Levi  KadofL  There  ought  to 
be  enough  of  them  to  hang  him  with.  Faith, 
and  if  I  had  him  here  now — " 

The  conversation  of  the  two  young  soldiers 
was  interrupted  once  more  by  the  return  of 
the  chaplain.  Still  he  had  not  received  any 
information  and  the  messenger,  who  he  as- 
sured the  boys  had  been  dispatched,  had  not 
as  yet  returned. 

In  spite  of  the  desire  of  the  good  man  to 
encourage  the  boys,  and  his  apparently  un- 
shaken confidence  that  in  the  end  all  would 
be  well,  the  feeling  of  uncertainty  and  injus- 
tice still  possessed  both  Noel  and  Dennis. 
They  had  been  forgotten,  they  assured  them- 
selves, by  the  men  who  knew  them  best  and 
at  such  a  time  as  this  could  bring  them  aid. 
Of  what  good  was  it  that  they  had  been  se- 
lected for  positions  of  danger  and  had  been 


264    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

among  the  sharpshooters,  doing  their  part  in 
holding  back  the  enemy  around  Williams- 
burg and  at  Malvern  Hill? 

Even  if  the  desire  had  been  in  the  minds 
of  the  young  soldiers,  the  opportunity  to  es- 
cape was  gone.  The  guard  was  changed  every 
hour  now,  and  there  was  no  question  that  the 
muskets  of  the  marching  soldiers  were  loaded. 
There  was  no  blank  cartridge  here. 

Noel's  strong  desire  was  to  receive  word 
from  those  who  knew  him.  But  just  where 
that  division  of  the  army  now  was  located  he 
did  not  know,  nor  was  he  positive  that  there 
would  be  an  opportunity  in  the  presence  of 
threatening  events  for  an  investigation  to  be 
made  which  would  relieve  him  from  the  charge 
which  was  nankin o*  0Ver  him. 

A  third  visit  from  the  chaplain  still  failed 
to  bring  the  desired  news.  The  depression  of 
the  boys  was  so  manifest  that  the  chaplain 
apparently  made  a  special  effort  to  cheer 
them. 

"  There  was  a  little  fellow  back  here  near 
the  colonel's  tent  who  somehow  made  me  think 
of  you  two  boys.  You  have  told  me  about  the 
little  sutler.  Let  me  see,  what  did  you  say  his 
name  is  ?  " 

"  Levi.  Levi  Kadoff,"  answered  Noel. 


THE   TEST  265 

"  Well,  this  little  fellow  by  the  colonel's 
tent  may  be  the  same  one.  He  was  a  little 
Jew,  who  had  been  shot.  A  ball  had  just 
grazed  the  tips  of  two  of  his  fingers  and  he 
was  howling  so  loudly  that  I  think  you  might 
have  heard  him  here,  if  you  had  listened." 

"  Was  he  yelling  with  pain  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no !  "  laughed  the  chaplain.  "  He  was 
crying  for  a  pension.  In  fact,  he  was  scream- 
ing for  one.  Yes,  he  wanted  two  pensions. 
When  I  saw  him  he  was  holding  up  the  two 
fingers  that  had  been  scratched,  and  was  whin- 
ing, 6  Oh,  Scheneral  !  Oh,  Scheneral  !  how 
much  pensions  I  gets  for  heem  ?  I  dink  I  gets 
two  pensions,  maybe.  One  for  each  finger  vat 
I  lose.'  A  lot  of  the  boys  had  gathered  around 
the  little  fellow  and  they  were  having  a  good 
time  as  they  listened  to  his  complaints." 

"  Did  he  say  where  he  was  when  he  was 
shot?" 

"  No,  I  did  n't  hear  anything  about  that." 

"  Maybe  he  is  Levi.  If  he  is,  and  you  '11 
bring  him  here,  Dennis  and  I  soon  can  tell. 
Did  he  have  shining  black  eyes  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  curly  black  hair  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  did  he  weigh  about  ninety  pounds  ?" 


266    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Not  more  than  that." 

"  Well,  that 's  Levi ;  that 's  Levi,  all  right," 
broke  in  Dennis.  "  Just  bring  him  here  to  me, 
and  I  '11  make  him  f orgit  his  fingers  and  his 
pinsions." 

"  You  may  make  him  forget  his  ringers, 
but  you  never  can  make  him  forget  his  pen- 
sions," laughed  the  chaplain.  "That  seemed 
to  be  the  chief  thing  in  his  mind.  I  think  I  '11 
try  to  find  out  if  his  name  is  Levi  Kadoff." 

"If  it  is,"  suggested  Noel,  "bring  the  fel- 
low here,  but  don't  tell  him  what  you  are 
bringing  him  for  or  that  we  are  here." 

"  I  '11  see  what  I  can  do,"  said  the  chaplain, 
and  a  moment  later  he  departed  from  the 
tent. 

The  fact  that  the  kind-hearted  officer  had 
made  three  visits  that  day  to  the  boys  showed 
his  interest  in  their  welfare,  but  somehow 
Noel  was  unable  to  shake  off  his  conviction 
that  their  friend  was  powerless  to  aid  them. 
Accordingly  he  was  surprised  when  an  hour 
afterward  the  chaplain  returned. 

"  No  word  yet,"  he  said  quietly,  as  he  smiled 
and  shook  his  head,  "  but  I  have  some  other 
good  news  for  you.  You  understand  there  is 
nothing  to  back  up  the  statement  which  you 
have  made  that  you  were  sharpshooters  in 


THE  TEST  267 

the  Peninsula  campaign.  Personally,  I  believe 
what  you  tell  me.  I  have  at  last  secured  per- 
mission for  you  both  to  go  with  an  orderly 
and  four  men  to  a  place  outside  the  camp 
where  you  may  show  what  skill  you  possess." 

"  That 's  the  way  to  talk,"  spoke  up  Dennis 
quickly.  His  hope  had  now  returned  with  full 
force.  Indeed,  as  he  afterward  explained,  he 
looked  upon  their  discharge  as  already  hav- 
ing been  accomplished. 

To  Noel,  however,  the  privilege  was  not 
one  which  was  unmixed  with  anxiety.  In  his 
own  skill,  in  his  quiet  way,  he  felt  confident, 
but  to  make  such  skill  a  test  of  the  truth  of 
what  he  had  spoken  was  another  matter.  A 
gun  with  which  he  was  unfamiliar  would  be 
thrust  into  his  hands  and  the  very  excitement 
of  the  test  of  itself  might  be  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent him  from  doing  himself  full  justice. 

The  chaplain,  aware  of  what  was  passing 
in  the  mind  of  the  young  soldier,  smiled  en- 
couragingly and  did  not  speak. 

Dennis,  whose  joy  rapidly  increased,  had 
now  arrived  at  a  point  where  his  enthusiasm 
seemed  to  pass  all  bounds. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  to  do,  yer  Riverence," 
he  said  to  the  chaplain.  "Just  put  Noel  and 
me  tin  yards  apart.    Let  one  of  us  fire  and 


268    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

then  the  other  and  you  '11  find  Noel's  bullet 
lodged  in  the  barrel  of  my  gun  and  my  bullet 
in  his.  That  is,  if  we  don't  fire  at  the  same 
time.  If  we  should  fire  at  the  same  minute 
the  bullets  would  meet  midway  and  you 
wouldn't  find  anything  but  two  flattened 
pieces  of  lead." 

"  Do  you  often  have  an  experience  like 
that  ?  "  inquired  the  chaplain  with  a  smile. 

"  Oh,  yis,  very  of  tin,"  answered  Dennis 
solemnly.  "  Sometimes  Noel  says  to  me, i  Den- 
nis, me  boy,  I  'm  a  bit  tired  this  mornin'.  Just 
put  a  bullet  in  my  gun,  please  ' ;  and  it 's 
easier  to  shoot  one  in  than  it  is  to  have  to  go 
through  the  whole  process  o'  loadin'." 

The  chaplain  said  no  more,  but  at  once  con- 
ducted the  two  young  soldiers  to  the  guard 
which  was  waiting  outside  the  tent. 

No  word  was  spoken  as  the  little  band  fell 
in,  and  at  the  word  of  the  orderly  started  in 
the  direction  which  to  Noel's  surprise  led  over 
the  way  by  which  he  had  come  when  he  had 
been  brought  to  the  camp.  As  yet  he  had  not 
been  able  to  obtain  from  Dennis  a  connected 
story  of  the  mishaps  of  the  young  Irish  sol- 
dier, nor  of  the  way  by  which  he  had  avoided 
his  enemies  and  at  last  had  been  taken  as  a 
deserter  and  confined  in  the  guard-tent. 


THE  TEST 

Noel  somehow  believed  that  not  even  Den- 
nis would  have  been  able  to  escape  from  the 
well  in  which  he  had  been  hidden  unless  he 
had  received  help  from  outside.  But  to  all  in- 
quiries Dennis  made  evasive  replies,  and  Noel 
was  still  unable  to  understand  the  mystery 
with  which  he  had  shrouded  his  doings. 

The  little  band  now  was  on  the  borders  of 
the  place  where  the  division  was  encamped. 
The  entire  region  was  unfamiliar  to  Noel,  but 
as  he  glanced  at  a  low  house  on  the  side  of 
the  road  over  which  they  were  passing  he  was 
startled  when  he  beheld  Levi  standing  by  the 
little  cabin.  The  little  sutler's  finders  were 
bandaged,  and  as  Noel  recalled  the  story  which 
the  chaplain  related  to  him  and  the  pleadings 
of  the  little  Jew  for  two  pensions  because  he 
had  received  a  wound  in  the  tips  of  two  fin- 
gers, he  smiled  in  spite  of  the  seriousness  of 
the  errand  upon  which  he  and  his  companion 
were  going. 

Suddenly  Levi  recognized  the  two  young 
soldiers  in  the  midst  of  the  little  band,  and 
with  a  scream  of  rage  instantly  started  toward 
them. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  SHARPSHOOTERS 

"1  shall  see  dem  hanged/'  screamed  the  little 
sutler ;  "  I  shall  see  dem  hanged.  Dey  steals 
mine  goots.  Dey  tip  ofer  mine  tent.  I  shall 
see  dem  hanged." 

Levi 's  voice,  usually  shrill,  in  his  rage  now 
became  almost  a  childish  treble.  Even  his 
wounded  fingers  were  forgotten  for  the  mo- 
ment, and  he  was  gesticulating  with  both 
hands. 

"  Shure,"  exclaimed  Dennis,  pretending  to 
have  difficulty  in  recognizing  the  little  Jew, 
"  shure,  't  is  Levi !  My  friend,  it 's  lucky  for 
you  it's  not  cold  here.  You  talk  so  much  wid 
your  hands  they  might  be  frozen  stiff." 

Unmindful  of  the  declaration,  Levi  became 
still  more  excited  and  his  hands  were  moving 
still  more  rapidly. 

"  Yah,  I  shall  see  you  hanged ! "  he  shouted. 
"  You  shall  no  more  steal  mine  goots  !  It  shall 
cost  you  more  nor  you  vould  haf  paid  for  mine 
goots,  vot  vas  so  cheap.  You  shall  no  more 
tip  ofer  mine  tent !  " 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS  271 

"  Levi,"  said  Dennis  solemnly,  "  how  many 
pinsions  are  you  drawin '  ?  " 

"I  draw  no  pensions  yet,"  shrieked  Levi. 

"  I  understand,"  said  Dennis,  "  that  you  are 
trying  to  draw  two  pinsions,  one  for  the  scratch 
you  got  on  each  finger." 

"  I  did  not  scratch  mine  finger.  I  haf  been 
shot  mit  der  fingers.  I  shall  draw  more  pen- 
sions, but  I  shall  have  mooch  joy  in  seeing  you 
hanged." 

The  soldiers,  under  whose  charge  the  boys 
were  being  conducted  to  the  place  where  they 
were  to  display  their  skill  with  the  rifles,  were 
laughing  heartily  at  the  impotent  rage  of  the 
little  sutler. 

Dennis,  in  spite  of  his  bantering,  did  not 
betray  a  trace  of  a  smile  on  his  face.  As  sol- 
emnly as  if  the  errand  upon  which  he  was 
going  was  the  sole  purpose  in  his  mind,  he 
looked  reprovingly  at  Levi  as  if  his  heart  was 
moved  by  sorrow  more  than  by  anger. 

"  Are  you  coming  with  us,  Levi  ?  "  he  in- 
quired. 

"  Yah,  I  vill  surely  come.  I  shall  mit  great 
pleasure  see  you  hanged.  You  shall  no  more 
tip  ofer  —  " 

"I  say,  sergeant,"  said  Dennis,  "what  are 
we  to  have  for  a  target  ?  " 


272    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  I  don  't  know/'  replied  the  soldier  good- 
naturedly.  "  We  '11  find  something.' ' 

"  If  you  have  n  't  any  target  ready,  I  would 
like  to  suggest  one." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  I  think  it  would  be  a  great  scheme  to 
have  this  little  sutler  come  along  with  us  and 
stand  him  up  at  a  distance  of  seventy-five  yards. 
Noel,  here,  can  clip  one  ear  an'  thin  I  '11  take 
the  other.  Thin  we  '11  cut  off  a  part  of  his 
nose,  though  he  will  have  enough  left  even 
thin  to  satisfy  any  two  or  three  living  men  —  " 

A  cry  of  rage,  not  unmingled  with  fear, 
from  Levi,  interrupted  the  young  Irishman. 

"I  shall  not  be  von  target!  you  shall  be 
von  target ! " 

"Yes;  but,  Levi,"  suggested  Dennis,  "think 
what  it  will  mean  for  you  !  If  Noel  cuts  off 
one  ear,  there's  another  pinsion.  That  will  be 
pinsion  number  three.  If  I  trim  your  other 
ear,  that  will  be  pinsion  number  four,  and  if 
both  of  us  cut  down  your  nose  a  little  that 
will  be  worth  more  yet.  Why,  Levi,  you  'd  be 
a  rich  man  before  you  would  be  able  to  get 
home.  Of  course,  there  may  not  be  very  much 
of  you  left,  but  what  there  is  will  have  a  good 
time  to  the  end  of  your  days." 

Perhaps  it  was  the  expression  which  Levi 


THE  SHARPSHOOTERS  273 

discovered  on  the  faces  of  the  soldiers  that 
caused  him  to  halt  abruptly.  At  all  events,  he 
stared  for  a  moment  at  the  young  sharpshoot- 
ers, and  then,  as  the  soldiers  laughed  loudly, 
he  turned  quickly  and  without  once  glancing 
behind  him  ran  from  the  place. 

Even  the  chaplain  had  not  been  unmoved 
by  the  bantering  of  Dennis.  He  was  proving 
himself  a  friend,  indeed,  to  the  two  boys,  and 
it  had  been  largely  through  his  solicitation 
that  the  opportunity  had  been  gained  for  them 
to  show  whether  or  not  their  claims  to  have 
been  sharpshooters  in  the  Peninsula  campaign 
were  trustworthy. 

"  There  comes  that  little  spalpeen  ag'in  ! " 
cried  Dennis  suddenly,  as  he  looked  back  and 
saw  that  Levi  was  following  discreetly  in  the 
distance.  "  'T  is  well  for  him  he  stays  behind 
us,  though  I  think  I  could  put  me  gun  over 
me  shoulder  and  shut  both  eyes  and  not  miss 
the  little  rascal." 

Noel  had  not  taken  any  part  in  the  badger- 
ing of  Levi.  He  was  far  too  anxious  concern- 
ing his  own  safety.  It  is  true  he  was  not 
without  hope  that  before  he  should  be  tried 
by  the  court-martial  his  statements  concerning 
his  enlistment  and  service  would  be  obtained 
and  verified  and  he  would  be  free.  But  there 


274     THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

was  so  much  confusion  in  the  army,  and  the 
presence  of  the  enemy  was  so  well  known,  that 
he  understood  an  advance  was  to  be  speedily 
ordered,  and  at  such  a  time  it  was  inevitable 
that  some  mistakes  should  be  made  and  certain 
duties  should  be  neglected.  The  greatest  dan- 
ger was  that  in  the  midst  of  such  confusion  it 
would  be  impossible  for  him  to  free  himself 
from  the  charge  of  desertion  which  had  been 
brought  against  him. 

At  last  a  position  outside  the  camp  was 
gained,  where  the  little  company  halted.  An 
improvised  target  was  made  of  an  old  and  bat- 
tered white  hat  which  was  found  in  a  corner 
of  the  fence,  whither  it  had  been  driven  at 
some  time  by  the  wind.  This  hat  was  securely 
fastened  to  a  stake  which  was  driven  into  the 
ground  at  a  distance  of  seventy-five  yards  from 
the  place  where  the  two  young  soldiers  were 
stationed. 

"  Who  shall  shoot  first  ?  "  inquired  Dennis, 
who  was  carefully  examining  the  rifle  which 
had  been  placed  in  his  hands. 

"If  you  don't  care,  I  should  like  to,"  said 
Noel. 

"Go  ahead,  me  lad,"  assented  Dennis. 
"  They  won't  have  the  execution  until  I  'm 
ready  to  go  along  with  ye." 


THE  SHARPSHOOTERS  275 

Noel  found  the  rifle  which  had  been  given 
him  a  trifle  heavier  than  the  one  to  which  he 
had  been  accustomed.  It  was  a  little  more  dif- 
ficult for  him  to  raise  it  to  his  shoulder  and 
gain  the  sight  which  he  desired.  However, 
after  testing  his  gun  several  times  and  looking 
carefully  to  its  loading,  he  abruptly  raised  the 
rifle  to  his  shoulder  and  apparently  without 
taking  careful  aim  fired  at  the  target  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

"  Hold  on  ! "  called  Dennis,  when  some  of 
the  young  soldiers  started  toward  the  hat. 
"  Wait  until  I  have  my  shot." 

rt  If  one  of  you  hits  the  hat,  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  tell  which  one  did  it  unless  we  ex- 
amine it  after  each  shot,"  suggested  one  of 
the  soldiers. 

"  Just  wait  a  minute,"  called  Dennis,  "  and 
you'll  see  two  holes.  That  will  mean  that 
both  of  us  hit  it." 

Good-naturedly  the  men  consented,  and 
Dennis,  whose  methods  were  far  different 
from  those  of  his  comrade,  brought  his  gun 
to  his  shoulder  and  took  long  and  careful 
aim  before  he  fired. 

In  a  moment  a  part  of  the  little  band  started 
swiftly  toward  the  hat,  and  their  exclamations 
of  surprise  were  loud  and  many  when  they 


276    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

discovered  that  Dennis's  promise  had  been 
fulfilled.  Two  balls  had  pierced  the  crown  of 
the  hat  within  an  inch  of  each  other. 

"  Just  put  up  that  hat  again/'  said  Dennis. 
€t  And  if  you  like,  Noel  and  me  will  put  some 
eyes  and  ears  on  the  old  hat  until  it  will  look 
as  if  some  old  man's  face  was  peering  out  of 
it.  This  is  just  to  show  you  that  there  was  n't 
any  luck  in  it,"  he  added,  as  he  turned  quickly 
to  Noel,  who  was  about  to  fire  the  second 
time. 

Again  the  report  of  the  rifle  rang  out,  and 
then  Dennis  speedily  followed  the  example  of 
Noel.  When  the  hat  was  examined  two  more 
holes  were  found  in  the  crown  each  about  an 
inch  from  the  place  which  had  marked  the 
spot  where  the  preceding  bullets  had  hit  the 
mark. 

"  I  guess  the  boys  are  all  right,"  said  the 
orderly. 

"  Wait  a  minute,"  said  Dennis.  "  We  have 
made  a  square  there  now,  have  n't  we  ?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  the  soldier. 

"Well,  with  three  more  shots  Noel  and  I 
will  turn  the  square  into  a  circle  and  cut  out 
a  round  piece  of  the  old  hat  itself." 

The  suggestion  of  the  young  Irishman  was 
followed,  and  true  to  his  word  when  three  more 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS  277 

shots  had  been  fired  by  each  it  was  discovered 
that  a  circle  in  the  crown  had  been  completed 
by  the  bullets. 

"  If  the  rest  of  your  story  is  as  true  as  the 
part  which  has  to  do  with  your  shooting,  then 
I  guess  both  you  boys  are  all  right/'  said  the 
orderly  cordially.  "  We  have  n't  a  better  shot 
in  our  regiment." 

"  Shure,  you  have  n't,"  said  Dennis  heartily. 
"  Did  n't  I  tell  you  that  Noel  was  the  best  shot 
in  Little  Mac's  army  ?  Now,  if  you  '11  just  say 
the  word,  sergeant,  I  would  like  to  have  him 
turn  around  and  fire  at  the  ground  under  the 
foot  of  that  little  Jew.  He  paid  the  piper  and 
he  ousfht  to  have  his  dance." 

Every  man  in  the  group  at  once  turned  to 
look  at  Levi  Kadoff,  who  in  spite  of  his  fears 
had  been  creeping  nearer,  and  as  the  voice 
of  Dennis  had  not  been  either  low  or  soft,  the 
effect  was  magical.  Levi  prepared  to  depart 
without  further  delay. 

Turning  to  the  orderly  Dennis  said,  "Take 
my  gun,  sergeant,  and  just  let  me  catch  the 
little  spalpeen,  will  ye?" 

As  the  chaplain  nodded  assent  in  response 
to  the  implied  question  of  the  sergeant,  Dennis 
laughingly  started  in  swift  pursuit  of  the 
sutler. 


278    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

For  one  moment  Levi  stared  blankly  at  the 
approaching  young  Irishman.  Manifestly  what 
he  saw  was  not  pleasing,  for  with  a  shriek 
he  turned  and  at  his  utmost  speed  tried  to  es- 
cape from  the  place. 

His  efforts,  however,  availed  little,  for  with 
his  longer  strides  Dennis  swiftly  gained  upon 
his  victim,  and  in  a  brief  time  laid  his  heavy 
hand  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  screaming, 
shrieking  Levi.  Kicking  and  striking  like  an 
angry  child,  the  sutler  did  his  utmost  to  break 
the  firm  hold  which  his  captor  secured  upon 
him.  Apparently  unmoved  and  unmindful, 
Dennis  dragged  his  helpless  prisoner  back  to 
the  place  where  the  soldiers  were  awaiting 
him. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Dennis  when  he  had  re- 
joined his  comrades,  "  we  '11  make  the  little 
spalpeen  speak  up.  What  for  did  you  say  that 
Noel  and  me  was  disarters?" 

"  Because  you  vas  deserters ! "  shouted  Levi. 
"  You  steals  mine  goots,  you  tips  ofer  mine 
tent,  you  —  " 

"  There !  there  !  That  will  do,"  said  Dennis 
soothingly.  "  I'm  thinkin'  what  you  need  is 
what  Paddy  gave  the  drum." 

Helpless  in  the  powerful  grasp  of  Dennis, 
Levi  still  shrieked  and  protested.  But  in  spite 


THE  SHARPSHOOTERS  279 

of  all  his  efforts,  Dennis,  seating  himself  upon 
a  stump,  stretched  Levi  across  his  lap  and 
soundly  spanked  him. 

When  this  task  had  been  completed,  the 
howlings  of  Levi  were  redoubled.  Apparently 
irritated  by  the  failure  of  the  little  sutler  to 
profit  by  his  experience,  Dennis  lifted  his  vic- 
tim from  the  ground  and  shook  him.  As  he 
did  so  a  paper  fell  to  the  ground  from  Levi's 
pockets,  at  the  sight  of  which  the  excitement 
of  the  little  sutler  instantly  increased. 

"And  what's  that?"  said  Dennis  as  he 
roughly  pushed  Levi  from  him  and  picked 
up  the  paper,  which  he  discovered  was  an  en- 
velope containing  a  letter. 

"  It  was  not  for  you,"  screamed  Levi.  "  It 
vas  mine  !  It  vas  mine  !  You  steals  mine  goots. 
You  tips  ofer  mine  tent,  but  you  shall  not  haf 
mine  letter.    It  vas  from  mine  moder." 

"  Wait  a  minute  and  I  '11  see  whether  it 's 
from  your  mither  or  from  General  Lee,"  said 
Dennis  tauntingly,  as  he  drew  forth  the  paper 
from  the  envelope. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE    PRESIDENT'S   ACTION 

x\n  expression  of  surprise  appeared  upon  the 
face  of  Dennis  which  quickly  changed  to  one 
of  consternation.  Every  one  in  the  little  band 
was  silent,  watching  the  young  Irishman. 
What  at  first  had  been  looked  upon  simply  as  a 
rough  and  not  altogether  good-natured  joke, 
now  seemed  to  be  taking  upon  itself  certain 
other  phases  that  interested  every  one  present. 
Even  Levi  was  speechless  in  his  rage.  Several 
times  he  made  as  if  he  was  about  to  flee  from 
the  spot,  but  every  time  he  came  back,  either 
fascinated  by  the  action  of  Dennis,  or  eager 
to  secure  the  paper  which  the  young  Irishman 
was  holding  in  his  hand. 

"  Here,  sergeant,"  said  Dennis  at  last,  "  I 
think  't  is  likely  this  is  for  you." 

"  What  is  it  ? "  replied  the  officer  as  he 
advanced. 

"  It  looks  as  if  it  might  be  mighty  important. 
'T  is  my  opinion  that  the  little  spalpeen  has 
been  seein'  some  things  he  ought  not  to  see 
and  is  reportin'  what  no  Johnnie  ought  to 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  ACTION  281 

know.  Just  look  at  that,  will  ye  !  "  and  Den- 
nis placed  the  tip  of  his  huge  forefinger  upon 
some  figures  which  were  written  upon  the 
paper. 

Taking  the  sheet  from  Dennis's  hand  the 
sergeant  looked  keenly  at  it,  and  in  a  moment 
it  was  seen  that  he  was  as  startled  and  alarmed 
as  had  been  the  young  Irish  soldier. 

Turning  quickly  about,  he  saw  that  Levi 
manifestly  was  aware  of  what  was  going  on 
in  the  mind  of  the  officer  and  was  stealthily 
working  toward  the  woods  in  the  distance. 

"  Stop  that  fellow !  "  ordered  the  sergeant. 
u  Don't  let  him  get  away,  not  for  a  minute  ! " 

"  Shall  we  try  to  catch  him  ? "  inquired 
Noel. 

"  No,  there  will  be  men  enough  without  you. 
You  go  after  him,"  he  added,  turning  to  some 
of  the  others  in  the  band. 

Instantly  obeying  the  command  a  half-dozen 
men  started  in  swift  pursuit  of  the  little  sutler, 
who  now  was  running  at  his  utmost  speed. 
The  pursuit  was  not  long  continued,  however, 
for  just  before  Levi  gained  the  refuge  of  the 
woods  he  stumbled  and  fell  to  the  ground. 
Before  he  could  rise  his  pursuers  were  upon 
him,  and  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  biting, 
kicking,  striking,  howling  little  sutler  he  was 


282    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

picked  up  bodily  and  carried  back  to  the  place 
where  the  other  members  of  the  band  were 
awaiting  their  return. 

"  I  suspict,"  said  Dennis,  as  he  tauntingly 
grinned  at  the  helpless  prisoner,  "that  the 
little  spalpeen  has  some  other  papers  some- 
where about  him.  Maybe  he  has  put  thim  in 
the  heel  of  his  boot.  'T  is  my  opinion  that  he 
ought  to  be  sarched  from  head  to  feet." 

"  We  '11  attend  to  that,"  said  the  officer,  as 
he  thrust  into  his  pocket  the  letter  which  Den- 
nis had  secured  and  at  once  gave  the  word  to 
return  to  the  camp. 

It  was  manifest  to  Noel  that  the  test  which 
had  been  made  of  the  skill  of  himself  and 
Dennis,  had  been  a  source  of  deep  satisfaction 
to  the  chaplain,  who  now  was  advancing  by 
his  side.  Naturally  the  officer  did  not  make 
any  comment,  but  his  face  was  beaming,  and 
it  was  plain  that  he  was  almost  as  pleased  as 
were  the  boys  themselves. 

When  the  party  arrived  at  the  guard-tent, 
and  Dennis  was  free  to  express  his  opinions 
once  more,  he  was  not  slow  to  embrace  the 
opportunity. 

"  'T  is  no  use  at  all,  at  all,"  he  said,  u  in 
kapin'  Noel  and  mesilf  here.  Think  of  a  little 
spalpeen  like  Levi  Kadoff  comin,  into  the  camp 


THE  PRESIDENTS   ACTION  283 

and  gettin'  all  he  wants  to  find  out  and  goin' 
back  with  it  among  the  Johnnies ! " 

"  That 's  what  he  was  doing,"  said  Noel. 
"  I  wondered  what  Levi  could  have  to  do  with 
Sairj  Ann's  brother-in-law.  He  made  no  bones 
of  the  fact  that  he  was  a  spy,  but  I  never  sus- 
pected Levi  of  doing  anything  of  the  kind 
from  his  own  wish.  We  knew  he  would  sell 
anything  he  possessed,  whether  it  was  infor- 
mation or  clothes,  but  I  never  believed  that 
he  would  go  back  and  forth  between  the 
armies  and  carry  news  from  one  to  the 
other." 

"  I  would  n't  be  a  bit  surprised  if  the  lit- 
tle imp  had  been  bringing  information  here, 
too." 

"  Of  course  he  has  !  "  said  Noel.  "  He  got 
paid  at  both  ends  of  the  journey  and  he  was 
n't  very  slow  to  make  much  of  the  chance.  I 
wonder  how  much  he  had." 

"  He  has  n't  had  as  much  as  he  will  get !  " 
said  Dennis  positively.  "  Just  listen  to  that, 
will  ye!" 

The  roar  of  great  guns  in  the  distance  again 
was  distinctly  heard,  and  so  threatening  was 
the  sound  that  it  did  not  seem  possible  to  the 
startled  listeners  that  the  men  who  were  en- 
gaged in  the  combat  could  be  far  away. 


284    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  Listen  to  that !  "  repeated  Dennis.  "  That 
means  that  we're  goin'  to  be  busy  just  as  soon 
as  they  take  us  out  of  this  guard-house." 

"  I  think  I  would  rather  be  there  than  here," 
said  Noel,  "  although  I  confess  that  ever  since 
Malvern  Hill  I  have  not  been  eager  to  go  into 
the  sharpshooters'  pit." 

"You'll  be  in  no  sharpshooters'  pit  here. 
They  don't  know  enough  to  count  you  for 
what  you're  worth.  If  we  're  fortunate  enough 
iver  to  get  back  to  the  — th,  where  we  belong, 
there  we  '11  pass  for  just  exactly  what  we  are. 
The  most  I  want  here  is  just  to  get  out  of  the 
guard-tent.  I  think  I  can  take  care  of  the  rest 
of  it  mesilf." 

The  conversation  of  the  young  soldiers 
continued  in  spite  of  the  repeated  sounds  of  the 
distant  firing.  Two  hours  or  more  had  elapsed, 
and  still  no  word  was  brought  them,  nor  had 
the  chaplain  returned.  Eagerly  the  boys  had 
talked  over  the  possibilities  of  Levi  being  a 
spy,  Dennis  firmly  contending  that  there  was 
not  "  spunk  enough  in  the  little  spalpeen  to 
do  anything  for  himself."  Noel,  however, 
claimed  that  the  former  sutler  was  not  without 
a  form  of  courage  of  his  own. 

"  There  comes  the  chaplain,"  said  Dennis, 
after  a  few  minutes  more  had  elapsed.  "  From 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  ACTION  285 

the  look  of  him  I  think  he  has  got  something 
he  would  like  to  say  to  us." 

Nor  was  the  young  Irishman  disappointed. 
When  the  chaplain  entered  the  tent  his  face 
was  beaming  and  his  satisfaction  over  what 
he  was  about  to  say  was  so  manifest  that 
every  one  of  the  inmates  was  confident  good 
news  of  some  kind  had  been  brought. 

"  We  have  just  heard  from  Washington  !  " 
said  the  chaplain  eagerly.  "We  sent  a  mes- 
sage to  President  Lincoln  informing  him  just 
what  had  been  done  here,  —  the  number  of 
deserters,  who  had  been  hanged,  and  who  had 
been  shot,  and  how  many  were  on  hand,  and 
asked  what  we  should  do  next." 

"  Did  you  tell  him  about  us  ? "  broke  in 
Dennis. 

"  Yes,  we  told  him  about  you  and  the  others, 
too." 

"  Well,  what  word  did  you  get?  Why  don't 
you  out  with  it,  yer  Riverence  ?  " 

The  kind-hearted  chaplain  laughed  and  said, 
"  I  was  just  about  to  say,  when  you  interrupted 
me,  that  after  we  had  sent  our  message  to 
Washington  we  did  not  expect  to  receive  word 
in  reply  so  soon.  But  the  message  has  just 
come  that  the  President  has  received  our  com- 
munication and  —  " 


286    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  The  Saints  presarve  us  !  "  broke  in  Den- 
nis. "  Won't  you  please  tell  us  what 's  hap- 
pened?" 

"  That 's  what  I  am  telling*  you,"  continued 
the  chaplain.  "  If  you  would  n't  interrupt  me 
so  frequently  you  would  find  out  what  I  have 
come  to  say." 

"  Well,  tell  us,  then !"  said  Dennis.  And 
although  every  inmate  was  silent,  the  face  of 
every  one  gave  evidence  of  the  eagerness  with 
which  he  was  waiting  for  the  visitor's  word. 

"We  have  just  received  our  message,"  be- 
gan the  chaplain  once  more,  "and  I  confess 
that  I  have  a  feeling  toward  the  President 
such  as  I  never  cherished  before." 

'*  But  what  did  he  say  ?  "  broke  in  Dennis. 

"  Be  silent  and  I  '11  explain,"  said  the  chap- 
lain. "  We  were  not  looking  for  an  answer 
for  several  hours  yet,  but  to  our  surprise  the 
messenger  has  returned  and  has  brought  us 
word  that  President  Lincoln  has  decided 
to  —  " 

As  the  chaplain  paused  again,  Dennis  im- 
patiently broke  in,  "  For  the  love  of  the  Saints 
in  heaven  tell  us  what  he  has  decided  to  do ! 
I  can't  stand  much  more  o'  this.  It  is  n't  the 
spache  we  want.  It 's  to  know  what  the  Prisi- 
dent  said." 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  ACTION  287 

"  He  has  decided  to  pardon  every  one  of 
you." 

A  shout  went  up  from  the  guard-tent.  In 
their  enthusiasm  several  were  for  leaving  the 
place  at  once. 

"  Hold  on,"  warned  the  chaplain.  "  I  have 
no  right  to  let  you  go.  I  was  permitted  to 
come  and  bring  you  the  word.  You  will  have 
to  wait  until  orders  come  from  the  colonel  be- 
fore you  will  be  free.  It  won't  hurt  you  very 
much  to  wait  a  little  while  because  you  know 
you  will  not  have  to  stay  long.  It 's  a  great 
message  and  I  'm  glad  I  am  the  one  to  bring 
it  to  you.  Are  you  pleased,  both  of  you  ?  " 

"In  course  I'm  pleased,"  said  Dennis. 

"  And  how  is  it  with  you,  Noel  ? "  asked 
the  chaplain  keenly  as  he  turned  to  the  other 
young  soldier. 

"  I  did  n't  want  any  i  pardon ',"  declared 
Noel  quietly.  "  I  have  n't  done  anything  for 
which  I  ought  to  be  pardoned.  I  have  been 
charged  with  being  a  deserter,  by  a  man  whose 
word  was  taken  instead  of  ours,  and,  too,  he 
is  now  said  to  be  a  spy.  I  don't  feel  like  tak- 
ing a  pardon  because  I  have  n't  done  anything 
which  deserves  a  pardon." 

"  Don't  be  foolish,  lad,"  suggested  the  chap- 
lain. "  This  matter  will  all  be  straightened 


288    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

out.  If  there  is  time  you  may  be  sent  back 
to  the  division  where  you  belong,  but  if  there 
is  n't  and  we  have  to  advance  now,  there  will 
be  plenty  of  work  for  you  to  do  before  many 
hours  have  passed.  Don't  stand  on  a  little 
thing  like  that." 

"  I  don't  want  to,"  said  Noel,  "  and  per- 
haps I  shall  not  stay  in  the  guard-tent.  I  am 
not  made  of  the  stuff  of  which  they  used  to 
make  martyrs.  I  appreciate  what  President 
Lincoln  intended  to  do,  but  at  the  same  time 
I  don't  want  to  stay  here  as  one  who  has  been 
pardoned  for  something  which  he  never  did." 

"  That  will  be  fixed  all  right,"  said  the 
chaplain  soothingly.  "And  just  as  soon  as 
you  receive  word  from  the  colonel  that  you 
are  free,  I  hope  you  won't  stay  here  any 
longer." 

"  Niver  a  bit  will  we  stay  here  any  longer," 
declared  Dennis.  "  You  watch  me,  if  you  want 
to !  You  '11  see  some  dust,  but  not  me  nor  me 
feet  when  I  get  word  to  lave  this  tent." 

True  to  the  promise  of  the  chaplain,  word 
was  brought  in  a  brief  time  that  a  message 
from  the  President  had  been  received  and  that 
all  the  deserters  had  been  pardoned  on  the 
condition  that  every  man  should  resume  his 
place  in  the  army  and  do  his  duty. 


THE  PRESIDENT'S   ACTION  289 

Nor  had  they  been  long  released  before  an- 
other and  more  startling  experience  came.  The 
heavy  firing  of  cannon  in  the  distance  had 
now  increased,  and  it  was  manifest  through- 
out the  camp  that  preparations  for  an  advance 
were  rapidly  being  made. 


CHAPTEK  XXIX 

THE  BATTLE 

Noel  Curtis  was  standing  in  front  of  the 
colonel 's  tent  listening  to  the  word  of  that 
anxious  officer,  who  in  response  to  the  request 
of  the  chaplain  was  showing  the  young  soldiers 
the  pardon  received  from  the  President. 

It  was  in  Noel's  mind  to  inquire  concerning 
the  fate  of  Levi.  His  own  feeling  about  ac- 
cepting the  pardon  which  had  been  offered 
was  unchanged,  but  in  company  with  Dennis 
he  had  gone  to  the  colonel's  tent  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  the  chaplain,  and  with  interest  was  lis- 
tening: to  the  words  of  that  officer. 

Suddenly  the  clatter  of  hoofs  was  heard,  and 
as  the  men  turned  sharply  about  to  ascertain 
the  cause,  they  saw  an  orderly  approaching 
with  the  information  that  the  division  at  once 
was  to  advance. 

Hastily  positions  were  assigned  to  Dennis 
and  Noel,  who  were  to  report  with  one  of  the 
New  York  regiments,  and  the  marching  orders 
speedily  put  other  thoughts  from  their  minds. 

Almost  before  the  men  realized  what  had 


THE   BATTLE  291 


taken  place,  they  found  themselves  marching 
along  a  dusty  road  with  the  air  cool  and  the 
confidence  of  the  leaders  manifest  in  many 
ways  that  appealed  to  the  boys  in  blue.  Na- 
turally there  were  rumors  of  the  battle  which 
was  expected,  but  so  many  similar  reports  had 
been  current  that  some  of  their  power  to 
arouse  the  interest  of  the  army  was  gone. 

Several  times  the  excitement  of  the  advanc- 
ing troops  was  increased  by  the  sight  of  little 
squads  of  rebel  prisoners  that  had  been  taken 
by  the  cavalry  skirmishing  in  advance. 

One  picture  appealed  with  special  force  to 
Noel.  The  horses  of  the  officers  of  late  had 
fared  poorly  at  the  hands  of  the  quartermaster, 
and  now,  as  the  troops  halted  near  a  barn, 
Noel  saw  several  of  the  half-starved  animals 
within  the  building  enjoying  the  first  oats 
they  had  received  for  days. 

As  Noel  glanced  behind  him  he  saw  a  long 
column  of  troops  winding  around  the  summit 
of  the  mountain  over  which  he  and  his  com- 
rades had  just  passed.  The  muskets  of  the  men 
were  glistening  in  the  sunlight.  The  lines  re- 
sembled a  mighty  coil  of  armed  men  extending 
far  down  the  side  of  the  mountain.  Indeed,  far 
beyond  the  place  where  Noel  was  standing,  it 
could  be  seen,  and  was  lost  to  view  only  by  the 


292    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

winding  of  the  road  in  the  distance.  It  was  the 
finest  view  of  a  marching  army  he  had  ever 
had. 

In  the  loft  of  the  barn  were  a  score  or  more 
of  Confederates.  Some  of  these  unfortunate 
men  were  sick,  others  had  been  wounded  in 
the  recent  cavalry  skirmishes,  and  had  been 
left  by  their  comrades  as  they  had  fallen  back 
before  the  advance  of  the  boys  in  blue.  A 
guard  or  two  was  attending  to  their  wants, 
but  every  man  as  he  peered  out  of  the  windows 
seemed  wan  and  pale,  and  the  marks  of  the 
many  privations  and  the  heavy  fatigue  to 
which  they  had  been  exposed  were  plain  on 
every  side. 

The  farmer,  near  whose  barn  the  line  had 
halted,  explained  that  a  large  body  of  the  re- 
bels had  passed  his  house  not  long  before. 
The  men  were  ill-clothed  and  seemed  to  be  in 
want,  he  explained.  The  report  of  the  man, 
however,  did  not  deceive  any  of  the  Yan- 
kee soldiers.  They  were  well  aware  that  the 
6i  Johnnies  "were  fierce  fighters,  and  in  spite 
of  their  scarcity  of  food  and  clothing  were 
standing  up  bravely  and  persistently.  It  was 
Dennis  one  time  who  made  the  remark  that 
"these  men  might  not  be  inspired  of  God, 
but  they  certainly  were  possessed  of  the  divil." 


THE   BATTLE  293 

Neither  of  the  young  soldiers  dreamed  of 
the  fearful  events  which  were  soon  to  follow. 
Whether  prejudice  or  ignorance,  truth  or 
falsehood,  were  behind  the  struggle,  there 
was  no  question  about  the  tremendous  earnest- 
ness of  both  armies. 

The  Union  army,  when  it  entered  the  little 
city  of  Frederick,  was  surprised  as  well  as  de- 
lighted at  the  ovation  which  it  received  from 
many  of  the  people.  Shouts  and  songs  and 
cheers  greeted  their  arrival  and  continued 
during  their  march  through  the  city. 

In  the  doorways  of  some  of  the  houses 
girls  and  young  women  stood  with  pails  of 
clear,  sparkling  water.  Many  of  these  enthusi- 
astic girls  held  glasses  in  their  extended  hands 
inviting  the  thirsty  and  dust-covered  soldiers 
to  drink. 

It  was  Dennis  who  said  glibly  to  Noel, 
when  a  halt  was  made  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  town,  "  I  can  't  for  the  life  of  me  tell 
what  made  me  so  thirsty  this  afternoon.  I 
think  I  must  have  stopped  a  dozen  times  for  a 
drink  of  water." 

"  Yes,  I  noticed  it,"  said  Noel  demurely. 
"  I  have  never  seen  anything  like  this  dust. 
No,  and  it  does  n  't  seem  as  if  the  dust  was  all 
that  was  new,  either." 


294     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"  There 's  one  thing  I  don 't  see,  though/' 
said  Dennis. 

"What's  that?" 

"  I  don  't  see  any  of  the  big  bugs,  like  the 
others,  standing  in  the  doorways  and  giving 
water  to  our  boys  as  they  passed." 

"  I  'm  not  surprised  at  that.  I  don 't  sup- 
pose the  people  who  have  money  or  own  slaves 
can  be  very  enthusiastic  over  our  coming 
down  here  to  set  their  slaves  free  or  destroy 
their  property." 

"  Indade,  and  I  niver  once  thought  o '  that," 
said  Dennis. 

Near  sunset  the  army  halted  again,  and, 
wearied  by  their  long  march,  many  of  the  men 
flung  themselves  upon  the  dust-covered  grass 
by  the  road-side  or  underneath  the  projecting 
branches  of  some  large  trees,  and  sought  a 
short  respite  from  their  labors. 

The  day  was  Sunday  the  14th  of  September, 
1862.  To  Noel,  his  thoughts  at  such  a  time 
naturally  recalled  the  manner  in  which  the 
day  was  spent  in  his  far-away  home.  There 
all  was  peace  and  quiet.  About  him  now, 
however,  were  armed  men  and  officers  riding 
past  and  cannon  were  being  dragged  up  the 
dusty  road.  All  these  things  presented  a  strik- 
ing contrast  to  his  vision  of  peace  and  quiet. 


THE   BATTLE  295 

Noel  saw  that  every  one  of  his  comrades  was 
sleeping,  not  even  being  aroused  by  the  pass- 
ing of  a  body  of  cavalry  or  by  the  stamping 
of  the  horses  of  their  officers. 

He,  too,  was  about  to  place  his  knapsack 
upon  the  ground  for  a  pillow  when,  glancing 
up  the  road,  to  his  surprise  he  saw  Dennis  run- 
ning toward  him,  dragging  in  his  hand  a  large 
fallen  branch  of  a  tree. 

That  the  young  Irishman  was  about  to  per- 
petrate some  prank  Noel  was  convinced.  Dennis 
was  simply  irrepressible.  The  fatigues  of  the 
day,  or  the  thoughts  of  the  battle,  in  which 
it  was  commonly  believed  the  army  was  about 
to  enter,  did  not  seem  to  check  the  exuberant 
spirits  of  Dennis  O'Hara. 

As  he  approached  the  place  where  Noel  was 
seated,  suddenly  the  young  Irishman  swiftly 
entered  the  road  and,  stamping  loudly  upon 
the  ground,  began  to  run  close  to  the  place 
where  many  of  the  soldiers  were  sleeping. 

Adding  to  the  confusion,  Dennis  began  to 
shout,  "  Whoa  !  Whoa,  there  !  Whoa !  "  He 
did  not  check  his  own  advance,  however,  and 
running  swiftly,  dragged  the  branch  he  was 
carrying  over  the  bodies  and  faces  of  some  of 
the  sleeping  men. 

Instantly  every  one  of  the  soldiers  who  had 


296    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

felt  the  touch  of  the  sweeping  branch  or  heard 
the  sound  of  Dennis's  voice  sat  erect,  and  then, 
convinced  that  a  body  of  horsemen  were  tramp- 
ling upon  them,  quickly  leaped  to  their  feet 
and  ran  from  the  place.  In  spite  of  their  weari- 
ness a  shout  greeted  the  prank  of  Dennis  and 
caused  the  young  Irishman  to  laugh  loudly. 

"  They  make  me  think,"  said  Dennis,  "  of 
the  old  sport  who  took  his  gun  and  traveled 
two  days  over  the  brakes  and  ferns  and  up 
and  down  the  mountains  huntin'  for  a  bear. 
Just  at  the  close  of  the  second  day  he  found 
the  footprints  of  the  old  fellow  and  pretty 
soon  afterward  he  heard  a  growl  from  a  rocky 
ledge  that  was  too  close  to  him  for  comfort. 
The  man  stopped  and  scratched  his  head,  and 
turnin'  to  his  brother,  who  was  close  behind 
him,  he  said,  '  Now,  look  out !  These  tracks 
are  gettin'  a  little  fresh  !  I  believe  I  don't  want 
any  bear  after  all,  so  I  '11  go  back  home.'  It 's 
a  lot  of  brave  men  we  have  been  hearin'  talk 
about  comin'  up  to  the  front  and  drivin'  the 
Johnnies  through  every  gap  in  these  moun- 
tains, but  whin  a  poor  harmless  boy  comes 
along  and  shakes  a  branch  of  a  tree  over  thim, 
they  are  all  so  scared  they  don't  even  stop  to 
find  out  whether  't  is  a  Yank  or  a  Reb  that 's 
chasm'  thim." 


THE   BATTLE  297 

It  was  not  long  before  the  march  was  re- 
sumed. The  turnpike  over  which  the  soldiers 
moved  was  broad  and  smooth,  and  as  the 
men  passed  through  the  rolling  country  its 
contrast  with  that  which  they  had  seen  in  their 
campaign  in  the  Peninsula  was  marked  by 
every  one. 

At  the  next  halt  the  chaplain,  who  had 
proved  himself  such  a  warm  friend  to  both 
of  the  young  soldiers,  approached  the  place 
where  the  two  boys  were  seated  by  the  road- 
side. 

"That's  General  Burnside  and  his  staff 
over  yonder,"  he  explained  to  Noel.  "  General 
Hooker  is  to  lead  our  division." 

u  There 's  going  to  be  a  battle  surely,  is  n't 
there  ?  "  inquired  Noel. 

"  I  think  there  is  no  doubt  of  it,"  replied 
the  chaplain,  "and  I  have  a  strange  feeling 
about  this  engagement.  I  know  I  shall  be 
shot." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  protested  Noel. 

"  But  I  shall  be.  I  was  shot  when  I  was  on 
the  Peninsula  almost  the  first  chance  I  got. 
I  was  only  slightly  wounded  there,  but  this 
time  I  shall  be  killed.  I  know  it." 

"  Shure,  't  is  only  a  foolish  notion  that 's  got 
into  your  head,"  protested  Dennis.  "  Get  rid 


298    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

of  it,  yer  Riverence !  Cheer  up  !  Shure,  you'll 
come  out  all  right." 

"  I  wish  I  might  think  so.  If  I  fall  I  shall 
fall  doing  my  duty." 

"  Niver  a  doubt  about  that.  Every  man  of 
us  knows  that  you  won't  be  shot  in  the 
back." 

The  kind-hearted  man  soon  passed  on,  but 
the  impression  he  had  made  upon  the  mind  of 
Noel  was  one  which  the  boy  was  unable  to  shake 
off.  He,  too,  was  fearful  of  the  coming  ,con- 
test.  He  was  doing  his  utmost  to  repress  the 
feeling  and  was  striving  hard  to  hold  himself 
to  the  line  which  had  been  mapped  out  for 
him. 

Apparently  there  were  no  rebel  battalions 
now  threatening  the  passage.  No  cannon 
warned  the  advancing  army  from  the  narrow 
entrance  between  the  hills  which  they  were  ap- 
proaching. These  hills  on  either  side  of  the 
pass  now  were  crowned  with  the  glories  of  the 
approaching  sunset.  A  few  clouds  were  seen 
in  the  sky,  and  in  the  distance  occasional  quick 
rushes  of  smoke-puffs  arose  just  above  the 
trees  and  then  the  sight  was  followed  by  the 
sound  of  a  heavy  boom. 

Far  to  the  left  there  were  other  puffs,  and 
as  they  were  faintly  seen  in  the  distance  there 


THE   BATTLE  299 

were  quick  responses  from  the  Union  artil- 
lery. 

"  Shure,"  muttered  Dennis,  "  the  artillery  is 
beyond  and  with  the  help  of  the  infantry 
they  '11  drive  the  Johnnies  out  o'  the  way." 

A  rattle  of  musketry  only  faintly  heard  con- 
firmed the  words  of  the  young  Irish  soldier. 

Above  them  and  beyond  were  forests.  Un- 
seen foes  without  doubt  were  lurking  within 
the  shelter  of  the  great  trees.  Even  now  the 
opposing  armies  might  be  preparing  to  rush 
madly  against  each  other.  Somehow  the  smooth 
white  turnpike  began  to  lose  its  peaceful  as- 
pect in  the  eyes  of  Noel  Curtis. 

The  toiling  soldiers,  climbing  a  steep  ascent 
now,  were  soon  aware  that  between  them  and 
the  main  ascent  of  South  Mountain  was  an 
extensive  valley. 

There  were  sharp  calls  from  the  officers, 
the  line  of  march  was  changed  from  the  open 
turnpike,  and  the  men  approached  a  cornfield 
upon  the  hillside. 

In  the  midst  of  the  passage  through  the 
field  suddenly  the  great  guns  of  the  Con- 
federates opened  upon  the  line  with  solid 
shot.  Down  the  hill  dashed  the  army,  then 
swiftly  crossing  the  little  valley,  began  the 
steady  climb  of  the  mountain-side. 


300     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

A  few  yards  from  the  base  of  the  mountain 
was  a  fence.  Below  the  fence  the  ground  was 
cleared,  while  above  it  the  face  of  the  moun- 
tain was  covered  with  rocks  and  trees. 

Steadily  and  surely  the  boys  in  blue  ad- 
vanced, and  when  they  had  arrived  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  place  they  were  seeking,  a 
rapid  fire  of  musketry  was  opened  upon  them 
by  the  Confederates,  who  lay  concealed  be- 
hind the  fence. 

Bullets  whistled  about  their  ears.  There 
were  shouts  and  calls  from  the  leaders  and 
loud  and  prolonged  cheers  from  their  willing 
followers.  With  a  wild  shont  the  men  dashed 
forward.  Indeed,  their  course  was  almost  up- 
ward, so  steep  was  the  ascent.  Volley  after 
volley  was  poured  in  upon  them,  but  as  yet 
the  brave  boys  did  not  heed  them  and  still 
rushed  madly  forward. 

The  Confederates,  astonished  by  the  reck- 
lessness and  the  apparent  disregard  of  their 
bullets,  began  to  give  way.  Successfully  the  ad- 
vancing soldiers  gained  the  fence  and  then 
instantly  sprang  over  it.  To  their  surprise, 
however,  their  enemies  re-formed  among  the 
rocks  and  renewed  the  fight  with  unshaken 
determination. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  chaplain,  who 


THE   BATTLE  301 

had  shown  his  friendship  for  the  boys,  accom- 
panied by  a  young  lieutenant,  was  just  spring- 
in  sf  over  the  fence  when  a  bullet  struck  him 
and  he  fell  back  upon  the  ground. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  FOLLOWING  DAY 

To  the  horror  of  the  young  soldier  he  saw 
that  the  chaplain  was  lifeless.  The  expression 
upon  the  face  of  the  dead  man  was  as  peace- 
ful as  that  of  one  who  has  fallen  asleep  in  his 
own  home. 

The  strange  declaration  which  the  chaplain 
had  made,  that  he  expected  to  fall  in  the 
fight  into  which  he  was  about  to  enter,  came 
back  to  Noel  now  and  strongly  impressed  him. 
It  was  strange,  he  thought,  that  such  a  pre- 
monition should  have  taken  hold  upon  a  man 
who  was  so  sane  and  thoughtful. 

There  was  little  time,  however,  for  consid- 
eration of  matters  of  sentiment.  The  struggle 
was  not  yet  ended,  and  it  was  plain  that  the 
Confederates  desperately  were  holding  their 
ground. 

Meanwhile  the  success  which  had  been  won 
stimulated  the  Union  soldiers,  and  with  shouts 
and  shots  they  again  pressed  forward. 

Not  far  before  him  Noel  saw  a  line  of  men 
in  gray  who  were  loading  and  firing  steadily, 


THE  FOLLOWING  DAY  303 

and  soon  afterward  he  saw  the  line  begin  to 
waver.  Directly  in  front  of  his  own  regiment 
the  men  gave  way,  and  several  companies  from 
the  right  pressed  forward  at  one  side  and  in 
this  manner  became  separated  from  the  regi- 
ment itself. 

Looking  hastily  behind  him,  Noel  saw  that 
he  and  his  companions  were  thirty  or  forty 
paces  in  advance  of  the  main  line  and  now 
were  within  twenty  or  thirty  steps  of  the  Con- 
federate soldiers  who  were  on  their  left.  It 
was  plain,  too,  that  the  Southern  soldiers  were 
not  as  yet  aware  of  the  approaching  force. 

In  a  brief  time,  however,  they  were  dropping 
as  grain  falls  before  a  sickle.  As  Noel  watched 
them  a  great  wave  of  pity  rushed  over  him. 
He  saw  that  they  were  falling  by  scores. 

Suddenly,  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  line, 
he  saw  a  tall  man  in  gray  hastily  loading  his 
gun.  There  was  no  regular  command  to  fire 
now,  and  instantly,  hardly  daring  to  hope 
that  he  was  in  time,  Noel  raised  his  gun  to 
his  shoulder  and  fired.  He  saw  the  soldier 
pitch  forward  and  fall  into  a  crevice  between 
the  rocks. 

Unable  to  stop,  step  by  step  Noel  Curtis 
with  his  companions  pushed  up  the  steep  side 
of  the  mountain.  It  was  a  marvelous  sight  to 


304    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

see  the  determination  of  the  boys  in  blue  and 
the  steady  resistance  which  their  opponents 
offered  in  such  a  place. 

There  was  a  halt  made  soon,  and  then  Noel 
ran  swiftly  to  the  place  where  he  had  seen  the 
man,  at  whom  he  had  fired,  fall. 

When  the  young  soldier  arrived  at  the  crev- 
ice, he  saw  the  wounded  soldier  sitting  erect, 
and  somehow  a  feeling  of  gratitude  swept 
over  Noel's  heart  that  the  man  was  not  dead. 

"Are  you  wounded?"  he  inquired  hastily, 
as  he  stopped  a  moment. 

Without  speaking  the  man  mournfully  nod- 
ded his  head  in  reply.  Noel  saw  that  there 
was  a  wound  in  the  neck  of  the  soldier  and 
also  one  in  his  arm. 

"  Same  bullet,"  said  the  Confederate  briefly. 
"I  was  just  ramming  a  bullet  home  and  had 
my  arm  reaching  out  this  way."  As  he  spoke, 
he  rose  to  his  feet  and  Noel  was  delighted  to 
find  that  he  was  able  to  walk. 

"  You  understand,"  said  Noel,  "  that  you 
are  a  prisoner?" 

"  I  reckon  I  do,"  said  the  Confederate. 

"I'll  find  some  one  to  take  charge  of  you 
and  take  you  to  the  rear,  where  you  will  be 
out  of  danger  and  where  the  surgeon  can 
attend  to  you." 


THE  FOLLOWING  DAY  305 

"  That 's  good  of  you.  I  reckon  you  don  't 
know  who  I  am." 

The  man  's  face  was  discolored  by  smoke 
and  powder,  but  as  he  spoke  Noel  instantly 
recognized  him  as  the  husband  of  Sairy  Ann  's 
sister. 

There  was  no  time,  however,  for  further 
conversation,  and  as  soon  as  he  saw  that  the 
prisoner  had  been  placed  in  charge  of  one  of 
the  boys,  Noel  threw  himself  upon  the  ground 
and  crawled  back  among  the  rocks  to  a  posi- 
tion where  he  was  about  fifteen  paces  in  ad- 
vance of  his  company.  His  intention  now  was 
to  act  as  a  sharpshooter,  although  he  had  re- 
ceived no  orders  to  that  effect. 

Cocking  his  gun  he  rose  abruptly  from  his 
position  behind  the  rock,  and  there,  directly 
in  front  of  him  and  not  ten  paces  away,  he  be- 
held a  grim  rebel  just  bringing  his  gun  to 
aim.  His  dark  eyes  seemed  to  flash  fire  as  they 
scowled  fiercely  from  beneath  the  broad  brim 
of  a  large,  ugly  hat.  He  was  aiming  directly 
at  the  young  soldier,  too,  and  there  was  slight 
chance  of  escape. 

It  was  impossible  for  Noel  to  take  care- 
ful aim  under  such  circumstances.  More 
quickly  than  ever  before  he  brought  his  gun  to 
his  shoulder  and  blazed  away,  as  it  seemed  to 


306    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

him  almost  at  random,  and  then  dropped  in- 
stantly behind  the  protecting  rock.  He  hardly 
dared  to  breathe  during  the  excitement.  Every 
part  of  a  second  seemed  like  a  long  time.  There 
was  a  fear  that  the  fire  of  the  rebel  would 
reach  him  before  he  could  gain  the  protection 
of  the  rock,  and,  just  as  Noel  dropped,  the 
bullet  tipped  the  edge  of  the  stone  above  his 
head. 

Step  by  step  the  enemy  now  were  retiring. 
Without  venturing  from  the  position  of  safety 
which  he  had  found,  Noel  waited  until  his  line 
advanced. 

The  enemy  still  were  falling  back  and  the 
boys  in  blue  still  pressed  steadily  forward. 
More  prisoners  were  secured  and  were  regu- 
larly being  conducted  to  the  rear.  The  bodies 
of  those  who  had  fallen  and  the  wounded  were 
lying  among  the  rocks. 

For  the  first  time  Noel  became  aware  that 
night  was  almost  at  an  end.  A  feeling  of  in- 
describable weariness  swept  over  him.  Even  the 
bodies  of  the  fallen  men,  some  of  which  were 
within  ten  feet  of  the  place  where  he  was  stand- 
ing, seemed  to  be  vague  and  unreal. 

The  hospitals  had  been  established  about 
halfway  down  the  hill.  To  them  the  wounded 
wherever  they  were  found  were  still  being  car- 


THE   FOLLOWING   DAY  307 

ried.  Gradually  the  sound  of  the  guns  off  to 
the  left  had  been  dying  away.  Ricketts's  men 
were  holding  the  fence,  while  the  regiment  in 
the  midst  of  which  Noel  Curtis  and  Dennis 
had  been  struggling  was  resting  on  its  arms. 
No  mounted  orderlies  could  be  found,  as  they 
had  all  been  withdrawn  to  other  parts  of  the 
army.  Such  horses  as  were  left  were  secured 
by  being  tied  to  the  trees. 

After  the  necessary  dispositions  for  the 
night  had  been  made,  the  men,  wrapped  in 
their  cloaks  or  having  donned  their  heavier 
coats,  in  utter  weariness  threw  themselves 
upon  the  ground. 

Noel  was  far  from  feeling  easy  in  his  mind. 
With  his  comrades  he  was  fearful  that  the 
enemy  might  make  a  night  attack  and  was 
afraid  of  what  might  follow  in  the  darkness 
and  confusion. 

The  issue  of  the  battle  on  the  left  was  still 
uncertain  and  with  this  feeling  of  uneasiness 
still  prevalent  throughout  the  regiment  the 
men  sought  to  rest. 

In  spite  of  the  excitement  through  which 
they  had  passed  and  in  spite  of  the  near-by 
presence  of  the  dead,  not  many  minutes 
elapsed  before  everything  was  forgotten  and 
every  man  was  asleep. 


308    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

Awake  early  the  following  morning,  Noel 
was  surprised  to  find  that  his  nearest  sleep- 
ing comrade  was  Dennis.  He  had  seen  but  lit- 
tle of  the  young  Irishman  thus  far  in  the  en- 
gagement and,  indeed,  he  had  seldom  thought 
of  his  friend. 

Discovering  that  Dennis  was  awake,  Noel 
in  a  low  voice  said  to  him,  "  Dennis,  how  is 
it  that  any  of  us  are  left  alive  ?  " 

"  Indade,  't  is  a  wonder,"  answered  Den- 
nis. 

"  Not  so  great,  after  all,"  remarked  another 
soldier  who  was  lying  near  the  boys  and  had 
heard  Noel's  question.  "  The  waste  of  ammu- 
nition in  a  battle  is  something  marvelous.  Our 
colonel  told  us  that  it  takes  almost  a  man's 
weight  in  lead  to  kill  one  soldier." 

"  It  does  n't  seem  so,"  said  Noel  thought- 
fully, "  when  you  hear  the  volleys  shrieking 
above  your  head  or  flying  close  to  your  ears,  and 
when  men,  all  excited  and  anxious,  are  trying 
to  fire  just  as  fast  as  they  are  able.  It  doesn't 
seem  possible  that  so  many  can  come  alive  out 
of  a  fight." 

"  You  must  not  forget,"  said  the  soldier, 
"that  most  of  the  men  make  no  pretense  at 
taking  aim." 

"  And  I  guess,"  suggested  Dennis,  "  that 


THE   FOLLOWING   DAY  309 

most  of  them  don't.  They  act  like  they  were 
aiming  at  nothin'  and  trying  to  hit  it." 

"  It  is  strange/'  said  Noel,  "  how  still  the 
wounded  men  were.  I  did  n't  hear  many  who 
were  groaning  or  making  any  cry.  The  most 
of  them  were  either  limping  off,  or  being  car- 
ried to  the  rear,  or  they  were  lying  down  where 
they  fell,  all  quiet  and  still." 

"  The  worst  shock  I  got,"  suggested  Dennis, 
"was  when  I  stumbled  over  the  bodies  of  some 
of  the  dead  boys.  That  shook  my  nerves  and 
made  me  tremble  like  a  leaf." 

By  this  time  the  army  was  stirring  once 
more  and  preparations  for  the  approaching 
day  were  being  made.  The  great  matter  for 
rejoicing  with  Noel  and  Dennis  was  the  fact 
that  there  had  been  no  attack  by  the  enemy 
during  the  preceding  night. 

Hasty  arrangements  were  made  for  the 
burial  of  the  dead.  The  young  soldier  was 
marvelously  impressed  by  the  peaceful  expres- 
sion of  most  of  the  upturned  faces  which  he 
saw. 

The  first  question  among  the  living,  how- 
ever, was,  "Where  is  the  enemy?" 

In  front  of  the  fence  which  General  Rick- 
etts's  troops  were  still  holding  there  was  no 
sign  of  the  Confederates.   Indeed,  a  strange, 


310    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

almost  unnatural,  silence  rested  over  the  entire 
region.  The  little  stretch  between  the  men 
and  the  cornfield  seemed  to  be  entirely  free 
from  the  presence  of  soldiers.  There  was  a 
slight  mist  resting  on  the  mountain-side  and 
through  this  could  be  dimly  seen  the  fallen 
dead  of  the  enemy. 

With  others  Noel  had  been  designated  to 
care  for  the  bodies  of  his  comrades  who  had 
been  killed  in  the  fight.  As  he  was  moving 
about  among  the  rocks  and  stumps,  suddenly, 
a  slight,  boyish  form  without  any  weapon  and 
clad  in  the  customary  gray  uniform  of  the  Con- 
federate soldiers,  was  seen  by  Noel  kneeling 
over  the  body  of  a  fallen  man.  To  his  inexpress- 
ible horror  Noel  saw  that  the  man  was  using 
his  knife  and  trying  to  remove  a  ring  from 
the  finger  of  the  dead  soldier. 

Startled  by  the  approach  of  Noel,  the  man 
suddenly  looked  up,  and,  instantly  rising,  said 
quickly,  "  Don  't  shoot !  Don 't  shoot  me  !  I 
vas  your  prisoner." 

The  feeling  of  rage  and  disgust  which  had 
seized  upon  Noel 's  heart  quickly  gave  way 
when  to  his  surprise  he  saw  that  the  approach- 
ing man  was  none  other  than  the  little  sut- 
ler, Levi  Kadoff. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

ANTIETAM 

Startled  as  Noel  Curtis  was  by  the  sight  of 
the  little  sutler,  whom  he  believed  to  be  true  to 
neither  side,  his  feeling  speedily  gave  way  to  a 
great  rush  of  anger.  Almost  unmindful  of  what 
he  was  doing,  Noel  rushed  upon  Levi  and  seiz- 
ing him  by  his  shoulders  shook  the  little  sutler 
until  both  he  and  his  prisoner  were  nearly 
breathless. 

"  You  rascal !  You  little  villain  !  What  do 
you  mean  by  this  work?  It's  bad  enough  for 
you  to  be  false  to  the  living,  but  when  you  try 
to  rob  the  dead !  I  '11  try  to  see  that  you  re- 
ceive your  just  deserts  I"  shouted  Noel. 

"But-" 

"  Don 't  talk  !  "  roared  Noel,  again  shaking 
his  prisoner.  "  What  are  you  doing  here  ? 
How  did  you  come?" 

Unmindful  of  the  fact  that  Noel  had  for- 
bidden his  prisoner  to  speak,  and  yet  at  the 
same  time  had  told  him  he  must  explain  his 
presence  and  actions  on  the  battle-field,  he 
glared  into  the  face  of  the  breathless  and 


312    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

frightened  Levi  in  a  manner  that  increased 
the  latter 's  terror. 

"I'll  tell  you/'  shouted  Noel,  "what  I'm 
going  to  do  with  you!  I'm  going  to  turn  you 
over  to  the  boys  after  I  have  told  them  that 
you  were  trying  to  cut  the  ring  from  the  fin- 
ger of  one  of  the  dead  soldiers  !  I  '11  leave  you 
with  them.  I  guess  they  '11  know  what  to  do 
with  you." 

"  Oh,  do  not !  Please  do  not !  Dey  vill  be 
very  angry  mit  me.  " 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  ?  Maybe  so.  At  all 
events,  I  '11  turn  you  over  and  we  '11  see  what 
comes." 

Securing  a  firmer  hold  upon  the  shoulder 
of  his  little  prisoner,  Noel  speedily  withdrew 
from  the  place  and  soon  placed  the  miscreant 
in  the  hands  of  the  proper  authorities. 

Only  a  partial  explanation  was  given  by  the 
young  soldier,  and  as  he  hastened  back  to  his 
place  on  the  field  his  anger  against  the  little 
sutler  soon  was  in  a  measure  forgotten  in  the 
task  that  still  confronted  him. 

The  division  in  which  Noel  and  Dennis 
were  fighting  was  on  the  flank  of  the  Union 
army.  Because  of  this  fact  they  were  not 
among  the  first  to  start  in  pursuit  of  the  Con- 
federates that  Monday  morning.  It  was  neces- 


ANTIETAM  313 

sary  for  the  greater  part  of  the  army  to  cross 
South  Mountain  by  one  road,. the  turnpike. 

Noel,  who  had  been  greatly  depressed  by 
the  struggle  through  which  he  had  gone  the 
preceding  day,  was  surprised  to  find  that 
Dennis  and  many  of  his  comrades  were  highly 
elated.  They  had  succeeded  in  driving  the  re- 
bels from  the  strong  position  which  they  had 
held  on  South  Mountain,  and  up  its  steep  and 
rocky  sides  they  had  forced  their  way  against 
fearful  odds.  If  they  could  do  so  well  where 
rocks  and  steep  ascents  had  to  be  overcome, 
what  might  they  not  be  able  to  do  in  the  valley 
beyond  the  mountain  ? 

A  spirit  of  confidence  at  this  time,  indeed, 
of  overconfidence,  as  later  events  proved,  pos- 
sessed the  soldiers.  They  had  jumped  to  the 
conclusion  already  that  General  Lee  had  been 
beaten,  and  therefore  the  overwhelming  defeats 
suffered  by  the  Union  army  at  Bull  Run  now 
were  balanced. 

The  rejoicing  which  had  come  to  the  army 
was  modified  somewhat  when  the  men  found 
that  no  response  was  given  to  their  inquiry  as 
to  the  whereabouts  of  the  enemy.  They  were 
not  aware  that  the  Confederates  at  this  time 
had  withdrawn  beyond  South  Mountain. 

In  the  task  in  which  Noel  had  been  engaged 


314    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

he  had  discovered  how  closely  together  the 
desperate  charges  had  brought  the  men  of  the 
two  contending  armies.  There  were  cases  where 
not  more  than  ten  paces  intervened  between 
the  fence  and  the  place  where  some  of  the 
poor  fellows  were  lying  in  their  last  sleep. 

In  the  presence  of  such  scenes  the  bitterness 
of  the  struggle  was  almost  forgotten,  and  the 
eyes  of  the  dead,  that  were  staring  upward  so 
fixedly  in  the  gray  of  the  morning  hour, 
neither  expressed  nor  aroused  any  emotion  ex- 
cept sorrow. 

Unaware  of  the  cause,  the  young  soldier  's 
feelings  were  somewhat  numb  from  the  ten- 
sion of  the  preceding  hours.  Even  Levi  now 
was  almost  forgotten  and  the  husband  of  Sairy 
Ann  's  sister  had  faded  from  his  thoughts. 

At  last  about  ten  o  'clock,  after  many  pro- 
tests and  much  growling  on  the  part  of  the 
boys  in  blue  over  what  they  were  pleased  to  call 
an  unnecessary  delay,  orders  were  received  for 
the  division  to  be  marched  toward  Boons- 
borough. 

Noel  and  Dennis  were  marching  side  by 
side,  but  the  most  of  their  comrades  were  un- 
known. 

As  the  men  advanced,  Noel  saw  that  the 
turnpike  far  ahead  was  filled  with  troops,  ar- 


ANTIETAM  315 

tillery  and  wagons  that  were  hurrying  up  the 
pass.  The  fields  on  either  side  were  white 
with  army  wagons  and  far  down  the  road  that 
extended  toward  Frederick  City  a  moving,  liv- 
ing, advancing  tide  of  men  was  pushing  stead- 
ily forward. 

Suddenly  some  one  broke  into  a  song,  and 
in  a  moment  "  Maryland,  My  Maryland"  was 
taken  up  by  the  soldiers,  although  the  words 
frequently  changed  to  suit  the  feelings  of  the 
different  singers.  Even  Noel,  heavy-hearted 
as  he  was,  smiled  as  he  heard  Dennis  shouting, 
"  My  Maryland,"  with  special  emphasis  upon 
the  "  My." 

"  Dennis,  what  are  you  doing  ?  "  inquired 
Noel  as  the  line  halted  for  a  brief  respite. 

"  Singin ',  sor." 

"  You  call  that  singing,  do  you?" 

"Shure,  and  what  is  it,  if  it  isn't  sing- 
in'?" 

"  That 's  what  I  wanted  to  find  out.  That 
was  the  reason  why  I  asked  my  question.  If 
you  call  it  singing,  why,  I  suppose  I  shall  have 
to  take  your  word  for  it." 

"  'T  is  a  beautiful  country,"  said  Dennis  as 
he  surveyed  the  scene  which  extended  far  on 
either  side.  Fertile  fields  and  a  rolling  plateau 
that  terminated  in  the  distant  hills  appeared 


316    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

doubly  beautiful  in  the  soft  light  of  that  Sep- 
tember day. 

At  their  next  halt,  which  was  at  the  home 
of  a  family  that  proved  to  be  loyal  to  the  Un- 
ion cause,  the  good  woman  of  the  house 
brought  forth  all  the  food  she  possessed  and 
divided  it  among  the  soldiers. 

Laughingly  she  was  telling  some  of  the 
boys  in  blue  of  one  of  her  own  relatives  who 
had  been  in  her  home  two  days  before  the 
battle  of  South  Mountain.  Apparently  all  that 
he  feared  was  that  the  demoralized  army  of 
the  North,  which  had  been  driven  from  the 
Peninsula  and  out  of  Virginia,  could  not  now 
be  induced  to  enter  into  a  contest. 

"We  are  going  to  wipe  them  out  this  time, 
once  and  for  all,"  the  man  had  said.  "  And 
then  for  Philadelphia  and  New  York  !  These 
Yankees  will  find  out  for  the  first  time  what 
war  means  when  we  get  into  their  country ! 
As  for  Maryland,  we  '11  lose  the  last  man  be- 
fore we  '11  retreat." 

Before  day  broke  that  morning  this  woman 
had  been  aroused  by  a  band  of  half-starved 
and  weaponless  men,  clad  in  suits  of  ragged 
gray  who  stopped  near  her  residence  begging 
for  food.  A  panic  apparently  had  seized  upon 
the  men.  She  had  heard  one  of  these  soldiers 


ANTIETAM  317 

say  that  if  he  could  only  be  taken  prisoner 
he  would  be  happy.  In  this  crowd  she  had 
discovered  the  relative  who  confidently  and 
positively  had  foretold  the  dire  results  of  the 
coming:  battle  for  the  Yankees. 

"Why,  John,  is  that  you?"  she  had  in- 
quired. "I  thought  you  were  going  to  Phila- 
delphia." 

"It's  no  use  talking  about  that,  aunt," 
he  replied  foolishly.  "  We  have  been  badly 
whipped,  and  I  don't  know  where  a  single  man 
or  a  single  gun  of  my  battery  can  be  found 
to-day." 

At  this  time  a  small  body  of  men  was  seen 
approaching  bearing  a  flag  of  truce.  At  its 
head  rode  a  Confederate  surgeon  in  a  gray  un- 
iform which  had  been  highly  ornamented.  On 
the  end  of  a  stick,  which  he  held  high,  was  a 
white  handkerchief.  The  surgeon  was  accom- 
panied by  four  soldiers  carrying  a  blood-stained 
stretcher,  while  in  charge  of  the  little  band  was 
one  of  the  boys  in  blue.  Upon  its  arrival  the 
leader  requested  to  see  the  ranking  official. 

In  response  to  his  expressed  wish  the  sur- 
geon was  taken  to  General  Hooker  and  by 
him  was  granted  permission  to  secure  and  bear 
off  the  body  of  one  of  the  rebel  colonels,  who 
supposedly  had  fallen  in  the  fight. 


318    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

The  long  waiting  bv  the  division  continued. 
Hunger  as  well  as  thirst  now  tormented  the 
men.  When  the  division  at  last  moved  for- 
ward, it  was  discovered  that  the  advance  then 
was  to  be  to  Keedvsville,  about  six  miles  dis- 
tant. 

The  little  hamlet  presented  a  strange  ap- 
pearance upon  the  arrival  of  the  soldiers.  The 
few  stores  and  hotels  were  filled  to  overflow- 
ing with  men  clad  in  uniform.  When  night 
fell  it  seemed  as  if  the  train  of  wagons  that 
steadily  was  moving  past  was  almost  unending. 
On  the  following  dav.  when  the  men  reached 
Keedysville,  their  progress  was  halted  by  a 
counter-current  of  cavalry  and  artillery  moving 
to  the  right  of  what  later  proved  to  be  a  great 
battle-field. 

At  this  time  no  one  seemed  to  be  positive 
as  to  just  the  position  the  enemy  were  occupy- 
ing. Many  of  the  boys  in  their  enthusiasm 
believed  that  they  had  fled  across  the  Po- 
tomac. Such  opinions,  however,  were  met  by 
those  who  believed  that  the  armies  were  on 
the  eve  of  a  desperate  conflict. 

When  davlight  came  the  following  morning 
(Wednesday  September  17, 1862),  a  frequent 
discharge  of  artillery,  apparently  about  two 
miles  to  the  right,  soon  gave  place  to  a  roar  that 


ANTIETAM  319 

was  incessant,  and  then  every  one  in  the  army 
knew  that  a  battle  already  was  beginning.  The 
straggling  little  village  was  filed  with  order- 
lies and  officers  rushing  hither  and  thither  on 
various  duties. 

The  division  advanced  until  it  was  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Antietam  Creek.  Beyond,  were 
the  enemy,  flanked  by  the  Potomac  River.  It 
seemed  at  first  like  an  unfavorable  position 
and  one  filled  with  deadly  peril  for  the  men 
in  gray. 

At  this  time  Noel  was  not  able  to  see  any 
indication  of  a  hidden  force  in  the  fields  and 
woods  opposite  the  position  where  his  division 
had  taken  their  stand.  As  yet,  too,  very  few 
missiles  had  come  as  far  as  the  place  which 
he  and  his  comrades  were  occupying.  Am- 
bulances could  now  be  seen  carrying  off  the 
more  desperately  wounded,  or  on  their  way 
back  to  the  field  for  their  new  freights  of 
agony. 

The  fighting  seemed  to  be  going  on  mostly 
on  the  right.  The  roar  of  the  artillery  and  of 
the  infantry  became  louder  and  more  terrify- 
ing. As  Noel  advanced  with  his  comrades  he 
passed  improvised  hospitals  sheltered  in  a  lit- 
tle valley.  Farmhouses  and  barns  were  all  oc- 
cupied  now,  and   still   the   stretcher-bearers 


320    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

brought  in  from  the  front  a  constant  and 
fresh  addition  of  suffering  men. 

It  was  no  time  for  faint-heartedness,  how- 
ever. Into  the  smoke  and  the  din  of  battle,  out 
of  which  the  bleeding  forms  had  come,  Noel 
and  Dennis  must  enter. 

So  many  were  the  stragglers  from  the  field 
that  the  cavalry  was  brought  up  and  stationed 
on  the  Hagerstown  Turnpike  and  with  drawn 
sabers  prevented  the  withdrawal  of  any  more. 

On  his  right  Noel  saw  troops  drawn  up  in 
line  of  battle.  On  his  left  were  other  troops 
in  a  grove  near  the  road.  To  his  surprise  as 
they  advanced  he  saw  some  of  the  troops  ap- 
parently falling  back.  A  cry  passed  through 
the  ranks  that  General  Hooker,  who  was  in 
command  of  the  division,  had  been  wounded 
and  that  the  right  wing  had  been  compelled 
to  fall  back.  There  were  rumors  also  that  the 
enemy  far  outnumbered  the  right  wing  and 
that  there  was  great  danger  also  for  the  left. 

Beyond  all  that,  Stonewall  Jackson,  a  name 
that  every  Yankee  soldier  had  come  to  re- 
spect, had  sheltered  his  reserves  behind  some 
rocky  ledges  and  had  thrown  up  long  lines  of 
fence-rail  breastworks. 

A  feeling  of  intense  and  bitter  disappoint- 
ment now  took  possession  of  the  Union  men* 


ANTIETAM  321 

The  division  was  sent  ahead  and  drawn  up  in 
line  of  battle  on  both  sides  of  the  Hagerstown 
Turnpike.  It  seemed  at  that  moment  as  if 
the  Confederate  soldiers  were  about  to  break 
through  the  army  of  the  North  and  repeat  the 
successes  which  they  had  won  on  the  field  of 
Bull  Run. 

One  of  the  batteries  in  Noel's  division  had 
lost  thirty-eight  officers  and  men  and  twenty- 
eight  horses.  Two  of  his  comrades  had  tried 
to  appease  their  desperate  feeling  of  hunger 
by  a  hoe-cake  which  they  had  taken  from  the 
haversack  of  a  dead  rebel  soldier.  One  gen- 
eral in  the  division  had  leaped  forward  in  a 
critical  moment  and  personally  sighted  the 
guns  when  the  enemy  was  almost  upon  him. 
Another  general,  of  a  different  division,  had 
ordered  his  brigade  to  advance,  but  he  him- 
self had  remained  behind. 

Apparently  matters  once  more  were  moving 
well,  but  just  as  Dennis  and  Noel  were  push- 
ing with  their  comrades  into  some  woods,  they 
found  themselves  with  others  confronted  by 
fresh  troops  who  instantly  stopped  them  with 
volleys  so  terrible  that  a  retreat  was  unavoid- 
able. Neither  Noel  nor  Dennis  knew  at  this 
time  that  the  battle  of  Antietam  really  was 
nearly  over.  As  yet,  to  both  boys  there  seemed 


322    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

to  have   been   set  only  the  first  act  of  the 
tragedy. 

On  the  left  the  din  of  battle  had  long  been 
heard  and  out  in  front  the  cannon  thundered, 
and  every  moment  an  attack  was  expected  on 
the  division  where  Noel  and  Dennis  were. 

The  cavalry  now  rested  upon  the  ground 
in  long  lines.  Its  ranks  were  somewhat  broken 
and  thin.  Steadily  in  their  rear,  the  various 
reserves  were  being  stationed  to  aid  in  resist- 
ing the  attack  which  was  expected.  The  men 
of  each  brigade  in  turn  were  stacking  their 
arms  and  then  were  lying  down. 


XXXII 

CONCLUSION 

Meanwhile  the  infantry,  expecting  the  at- 
tack, rested  on  the  ground  in  long  lines.  They 
were  broken  lines  at  the  very  best,  and  when- 
ever Noel  and  Dennis  glanced  about  them  each 
felt  a  pang  when  he  saw  how  many  of  the 
regiments,  now  gathered  about  the  torn  and 
bullet-riddled  colors,  were  thin.  At  times, 
squads  of  men  on  the  borders  of  the  woods 
were  seen,  who  were  doubtless  rebel  pickets 
or  persons  who  were  curious,  like  some  of  the 
Yankee  soldiers. 

The  captain  walked  down  the  lines  in  which 
Noel  and  Dennis  were  numbered.  One  of  the 
men,  holding  up  a  large  piece  of  pork  on  his 
sword,  said,  "  Look  here,  captain  !  This  is  the 
allowance  of  pork  for  my  men.  I  guess  I  shall 
have  to  eat  it  all,  as  I  am  the  only  one  left." 

At  such  a  time  many  wild  rumors  have  full 
swing.  About  four  o'clock  General  McClel- 
lan,  with  his  staff,  rides  along  the  lines  and  is 
greeted  with  great  enthusiasm  by  his  men. 
The  report  now  is  that  the  Union  soldiers 


324    THE  SHAKPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

have  been  partly  successful,  the  Confederates 
having  been  driven  back,  although  they  are 
still  holding  firmly  the  new  position  which 
they  have  taken. 

An  orderly  stops  for  a  word  with  Dennis 
and  Noel.  He  shows  a  loaf  of  bread  which  he 
has  obtained  from  a  near-by  farmhouse  and  a 
little  piece  of  butter  which  he  ingeniously  has 
put  in  a  hole  cut  in  the  loaf.  All  three,  upon 
their  comrade's  invitation,  sit  down  to  enjoy 
the  rare  treat.  The  pleasure  is  increased  by  a 
cup  of  coffee,  for  the  men  now  have  been  per- 
mitted to  light  fires  by  which  to  cook  their 
rations.  It  looks  very  much  as  if  the  fighting 
for  the  day,  at  least,  is  ended. 

Suddenly,  about  five  o'clock,  as  abruptly  as 
thunder  is  heard  under  a  clear  sky,  a  volley 
of  shot  and  shell  begins  to  strike  or  pass  over 
and  about  the  place  where  the  men  are  gath- 
ered. 

Before  the  officers  are  fairly  able  to  mount 
their  horses  the  thirty  great  guns,  which  have 
been  waiting  for  this  opportunity  for  hours, 
begin  to  sweep  the  woods  and  the  cornfield 
with  their  deluge  of  shot  and  shell.  The  roar 
of  the  artillery  soon  is  almost  deafening.  The 
thirty  guns  are  being  discharged  one  by  one 
as  rapidly  as  the  men  are  able  to  load  them. 


CONCLUSION  325 

The  little  hi/lside  actually  shakes  under  the 
force  of  the  shots.  Dennis  murmurs,  "  Faith ! 
'T  is  not  only  the  hill,  but  the  whole  planet 
that 's  shaking  like  a  leaf  now." 

It  is  supposed  that  the  fire  of  the  rebels  is 
introductory  to  an  attack  by  their  infantry. 
In  view  of  this  fact,  the  troops  in  front  are 
notified  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness,  while 
those  in  the  rear  are  called  upon  to  fall  in  and 
to  take  their  arms  and  advance  closely  to  the 
crest  of  the  hill  and  also  to  lie  down  there 
and  to  be  ready  for  action  at  any  moment. 
All  the  reserves  are  prepared  and  ready.  The 
wagons  now  are  drawn  by  galloping  horses. 
The  right  wing  is  believed  to  be  ready. 

General  Meade,  who,  after  the  wounding  of 
General  Hooker,  succeeds  to  the  command 
of  the  corps,  rides  up  to  the  crest  of  the  hill 
on  which  Noel  and  Dennis  are  stationed  and 
studies  the  position  of  the  batteries  of  the 
enemy  almost  as  coolly  as  if  he  were  at  a 
review.  Already  there  is  a  bullet-hole  in  his 
cap,  but  the  quietness  of  the  great  leader  in 
the  midst  of  the  confusion  and  peril  is  most 
impressive.  He  gives  his  orders  to  make  ready 
for  the  storm. 

Noel  saw  shots  strike  so  close  to  his  own 
comrades  as  to  fling  the  dust  over  them.  The 


326    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

heavy  cannonading  by  the  enemy  continues 
for  at  least  ten  minutes,  and  it  is  with  a  great 
feeling  of  relief  that  Noel,  as  he  glances  about 
him,  is  unable  to  see  that  any  men  had  been 
killed  or  wounded.  Such  artillery  firing  at 
long  range  is  terrific  to  hear,  but  is  seldom 
fatal. 

Later  it  was  learned  from  some  of  the  pris- 
oners that  General  Jackson's  plan  had  been 
to  attack  with  his  infantry  after  the  heavy 
cannonading.  Just  before  sunset  was  his  fa- 
vorite hour  for  such  an  order.  The  tremen- 
dous fire  of  the  Union  batteries,  however, 
plainly  showed  him  how  well  prepared  his 
enemies  were,  and  in  a  brief  time  his  cannon 
ceased  to  play  and  the  Union  guns  also  be- 
came silent. 

Fighting  by  the  right  wing  ceased  when 
the  cannonading  stopped.  When  the  officers 
were  convinced  that  there  had  been  an  end  to 
the  immediate  attempt,  they  permitted  every 
man  to  bring  from  the  neighboring  farms 
bundles  of  straw  with  which  beds  were  made, 
and,  still  in  line  of  battle,  all  soon  stretched 
themselves  upon  these  improvised  resting- 
places. 

The  weary  gunners  tried  to  make  them- 
selves comfortable  alongside  their  guns.  The 


CONCLUSION  327 

pickets  were  standing,  with  every  sense  alert, 
close  to  the  rebel  lines,  and  prepared  to  give 
instant  warning  should  a  night  attack  by  the 
Confederates  be  attempted.  Not  an  officer  re- 
moved even  his  sword.  The  horses,  tied  to 
near-by  fences,  were  standing  saddled  and 
ready  for  instant  use. 

There  was  no  tree  above  the  heads  of  Noel 
and  Dennis,  and  as  they  lay  looking  up  at  the 
stars,  for  the  first  time  in  twenty -four  hours 
the  tired  boys  were  able  to  think  of  the  expe- 
riences they  had  undergone.  Within  a  space 
of  four  square  miles  two  hundred  thousand 
men  were  lying.  Some  of  them  were  stiff  and 
stark  and  with  sightless  eyes  were  looking  up 
into  the  pitying  heavens.  Some  were  stretched 
on  beds  in  the  improvised  hospitals  or  lying 
wounded  and  bleeding  under  the  trees.  Others, 
even  in  their  sleep,  are  clasping  the  deadly 
weapons  with  which  on  the  morrow  they  are 
expecting  to  renew  the  awful  scenes  of  the 
day. 

It  was  Ions:  before  daylight  the  following 
morning  when  the  little  hill  upon  which  Noel 
and  Dennis  had  been  sleeping  was  alive  with 
men  preparing  their  simple  breakfasts  and 
getting  ready  for  the  fighting  of  the  coming 
day. 


328    THE   SHARPSHOOTER   AT  ANTIETAM 

Somehow  there  was  a  feeling  of  confidence 
among  the  soldiers  that  the  day  was  to  be 
marked  with  victory.  They  now  had  every  op- 
portunity to  drive  the  rebels  into  the  Potomac, 
or  perhaps  to  capture  their  entire  army. 

But  when  sunrise  came  and  hour  after  hour 
passed  without  any  orders  to  advance,  gradu- 
ally a  feeling  of  bitter  disappointment  took 
possession  of  the  men.  The  day  dragged  on, 
the  batteries  still  remained  in  position,  and 
the  infantry  still  were  resting  on  their  arms. 
In  the  position  held  by  the  enemy  silence 
brooded  throughout  the  day.  It  was  nearly 
dark  when  orders  came  to  be  ready  for  action 
at  sunrise  on  the  morrow. 

With  such  information  the  growlers  ceased 
their  complaints  and  there  was  a  common  hope 
that  the  enemy  would  not  escape. 

"  'T  is  only  put  off  one  day,"  said  Dennis. 
"  We  '11  either  drive  the  Johnnies  into  the 
Potomac  or  carry  them  with  us  back  to  Wash- 


ington. 


The  following  day  the  men  were  aroused 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  There  was 
no  haste  in  the  orders  or  in  the  movements  of 
the  men.  They  ate  their  breakfast  and  drank 
their  coffee,  and  then  all  made  ready  for  bat- 
tle. But  again  the  hours  passed  and  there  was 


CONCLUSION  329 

no  decisive  action.  At  eight  o'clock  it  was 
learned  that  the  Confederates  had  slipped 
away  and  had  withdrawn  across  the  Potomac, 
and  doubtless  by  this  time  were  safely  in  Vir- 
ginia.    , 

The  river  into  which  the  Union  soldiers  had 
believed  they  would  drive  their  enemies  had 
now  become  the  best  defense  of  Lee's  army. 
The  battles  of  South  Mountain  and  Antietam 
were  robbed  of  any  decisive  significance.  It 
is  true  that  Lee's  advance  into  the  North  was 
blocked,  and  that  he  was  compelled  to  turn 
back  to  defend  the  rebel  capital,  but  he  had 
shown  his  skill  by  successfully  evading  his 
foes  and  at  the  same  time  protecting  his  army 
as  he  withdrew. 

The  following  day  was  Sunday.  All  signs 
of  storms  had  passed,  and  not  since  the  Union 
army  had  departed  from  Washington  had  finer 
marching  weather  been  seen. 

The  sound  of  distant  cannonading  once 
more  revived  the  hope  that  General  McClel- 
lan  would  follow  the  retiring  Confederates 
and  that  another  battle  would  soon  be  fought. 
The  roar  of  the  great  guns,  however,  was 
merely  a  harmless  artillery  duel  across  the 
river. 

The  hours  of  the  long  day  dragged  on  and 


330     THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT   ANTIETAM 

still  the  men  were  not  ordered  to  advance. 
The  lack  of  action  was  beginning  to  tell 
strongly  upon  their  spirits  and  there  were 
many  complaints  to  be  heard  now  on  every 
side  over  the  meaningless,  or  at  least  the  mis- 
understood, delay. 

It  was  eleven  o  'clock  at  night  before  it  was 
reported  that  orders  had  been  received  for  the 
corps  to  advance  to  Harper 's  Ferry  the  follow- 
ing day.  But  the  following  day  came  and  went, 
and  in  turn  was  followed  by  other  days  until  a 
month  had  passed  and  the  advance  still  was 
postponed.  The  battle-field  was  still  the  scene 
of  the  camp,  and  it  was  only  after  some  time 
had  elasped  that  the  soldiers  understood  that 
they  had  been  left  to  help  guard  the  Potomac 
so  that  General  Lee  might  not  attempt  to 
cross  it  again  and  try  another  battle. 

The  terrible  excitement  and  fatigue,  the 
privations  and  the  continued  strain  upon  the 
nerves  and  feelings  of  the  men  were  followed 
now  by  a  calm  and  monotony  that  was  most 
deadly.  Once  a  week  each  soldier  was  on  guard, 
taking  his  turn  as  a  sentinel.  Part  of  each  day 
was  given  to  drill.  At  sunset  there  was  a  brief 
parade,  but  the  rest  of  the  day  was  largely  his 
own. 

Because  of  such  conditions  the  soldiers  were 


CONCLUSION  331 

exposed  to  many  temptations,  and  in  spite  of 
the  sorrow  which  followed  the  battle  of  An- 
tietam  there  were  many  pranks  being  played. 

One  day,  which  was  unusually  warm,  Noel 
had  been  sent  to  the  quartermaster  's  office  on 
some  errand  for  his  colonel.  He  was  standing 
behind  an  improvised  desk  and  consequently 
was  partly  hidden  from  the  sight  of  any  one 
who  entered. 

In  the  midst  of  his  task  of  copying  certain 
details  which  his  colonel  desired  he  was  star- 
tled by  the  sound  of  a  familiar  voice.  Without 
being  seen  he  peered  from  behind  his  stand 
and  saw  that  Levi  Kadoff  had  entered  the 
quartermaster 's  place. 

"Ish  dis  de  quartermaister 's  office?"  in- 
quired the  sutler  timidly. 

"  It  is,"  replied  the  officer  in  charge. 

"  Veil,  Mr.  Quartermaister,  I  chust  got  mine 
sutler 's  goots  and  I  vant  von  place  vere  I  shall 
sell  dose  dings  to  the  soldiers.  You  gife  me 
von  place,  hey  ?" 

"  It  is  against  my  orders,  sir,  to  give  per- 
mission to  anybody  to  put  up  tents  or  houses 
for  the  sale  of  goods  of  any  kind." 

"  I  vill  not  take  mooch  room  for  dese  leedle 
dings,"  pleaded  Levi. 

"  Come  back  and  see  me  later." 


332    THE  SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

"Ven  I  comes?" 

"About  an  hour." 

"  Veil,  captain,  I  comes  chust  as  you  say. 
I  send  you  some  of  mine  fine  goots." 

True  to  his  word  not  long  afterwards  a  bas- 
ket, with  a  card  attached  bearing  the  follow- 
ing address,  was  received,  - 

"  To  Captain  Vesh, 
Qr.  Maister" 

Levi  had  departed  before  Noel  had  been 
able  to  make  any  protest.  Confident  that  he 
would  return,  however,  he  explained  to  Captain 
Vesh  what  Levi 's  former  dealings  had  been  and 
also  expressed  his  surprise  that  the  little  sut- 
ler had  not  been  hanged. 

In  a  brief  time  Levi  again  appeared,  and  as 
he  entered  the  office  he  said  smilingly,  "Veil, 
captain,  I  comes  to  look  at  dot  leedle  place 
vot  ve  spoke  about  dis  morning. " 

"What  place,  sir?" 

"  Vy,  dot  place  vat  you  give  me  to  put  up 
von  leedle  dent  vere  I  sells  mine  goots." 

"  You  must  be  mistaken,  sir.  I  told  you  dis- 
tinctly that  we  did  not  grant  any  such  privi- 
leges." 

"  Veil,  now,  captain,  look  at  dis.  Dis  morn- 


CONCLUSION  333 

ing  I  sends  you  von  fine  basket  which  costs 
me  sixteen  dollars  mit  de  wholesale." 

"  You  thought  you  would  bribe  me,  did 
you  ?  "  replied  the  quartermaster  in  apparent 
anger.  "Now,  I'll  give  you  two  hours  to  get 
out  of  this  place." 

As  Levi  turned  to  depart,  he  obtained  a 
glimpse  of  Noel 's  face  and  fled  precipitately. 

Nor  was  Noel  afterward  able  to  learn  the 
fate  of  the  little  sutler.  Apparently  each  side 
had  taken  him  as  friendly  to  itself,  or  else  the 
crafty  little  trader  had  persuaded  both  that 
the  charges  against  him  were  untrue.  Whe- 
ther he  was  hanged  as  a  spy,  shot  as  a  deser- 
ter, or  was  able  to  continue  his  nefarious  trad- 
ing with  the  soldiers  was  a  mystery  which 
never  was  made  clear. 

The  husband  of  Sairy  Ann  's  sister,  Noel  la- 
ter discovered  among  the  wounded  prisoners, 
and  in  return  for  the  help  which  he  himself 
had  received,  he  was  able  in  many  ways  to  aid 
the  wounded  man. 

The  continually  repeated  question  among 
the  men,  "When  do  we  move  ?  "  was  not  an- 
swered until  a  month  or  more  had  elapsed. 
Then,  when  the  army  was  moved  to  Harper 's 
Ferry,  Noel  there  learned  that  his  brother 
Frank  had  been  among  the  prisoners  taken 


334    THE   SHARPSHOOTER  AT  ANTIETAM 

by  the  Confederates  and  sent  to  Libby  Prison. 
Disheartening  as  the  information  was,  it  did 
not  decrease  the  interest  of  Noel  when  late  in 
October  his  division  was  ordered  to  move  to- 
ward Virginia. 

It  was  plain  now  that  the  campaign  was  to 
be  transferred  again  to  the  State  in  which  Noel 
and  Frank  had  had  their  first  experiences  in 
the  army.  The  enthusiasm  of  Dennis  was 
great,  and  in  his  loudest  tones  he  joined  in 
the  song  of  the  men  when  they  departed  from 
Harper 's  Ferry,  - 

"  John  Brown  's  body  lies  a-mouldering  in  the  grave, 
His  soul  is  marching  on." 

The  boys  in  blue  were  somewhat  cast  down, 
but  not  despairing.  The  Union  army  had  out- 
numbered the  Confederates  nearly  two  to  one 
in  the  recent  battle  of  Antietam. 

Among  the  subordinate  Union  commanders 
there  had  been  great  energy  displayed,  but  no 
one  was  able  to  escape  the  conclusion  that  on 
the  Federal  side  the  battle  had  been  badly 
fought  and  many  great  opportunities  had  been 
neglected. 

In  the  battle  of  Antietam  the  Federals  had 
lost  more  than  twelve  thousand  men  and  their 
enemies  ninety-five  hundred.  All  the  troops 


CONCLUSION  335 

of  the  latter  had  been  engaged  in  the  fight, 
but  only  about  two  thirds  of  the  Union  army 
had  seriously  entered  into  the  struggle. 

In  a  measure  the  friends  of  the  Union  were 
content  that  Lee  's  threatening  invasion  of  the 
North  had  been  thwarted.  The  great  Southern 
general  had  fought  a  pitched  battle,  but  had 
not  destroyed  his  foe.  There  was  no  escape, 
however,  from  the  conclusion  that  Lee 's  plan 
to  invade  the  North  had  failed,  and  that  the 
struggle  now  was  to  return  to  Virginia  soil, 
a  fact  which  Dennis  0  'Hara  and  Noel  Curtis 
and  his  brother  soon  were  to  learn. 


THE  END 


CAMBRIDGE  .  MASSACHUSETTS 
U   .   S    .  A 


